Coal commission delay reveals multiple failures in work of the task force - commentary

The coal commission delay shows that the government is taking the work of the commission seriously because “otherwise this spectacular intervention would have been unnecessary,” writes Andreas Mihm in a commentary in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. But the move reveals multiple failures elsewhere: Not enough communication between commission and government; too little help from the responsible ministers. “It’s astounding that it didn’t occur to anyone during months of negotiations to discuss the foreseeable financial consequences with the finance minister,” according to Mihm, adding the delay could mainly serve to establish the necessary and neglected financing, especially with a view to upcoming elections in coal states. “This is why the decision by the heads of the governing coalition to put the commission in detention can also be interpreted as a lesson in political realism.”

For background, read the articles German government plans to postpone deadline for coal commission and Commission watch – Managing Germany’s coal phase-out.