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Germany's far right targets renewable energy in bid for first election wins
CHEMNITZ-EUBA, Germany (Reuters) - Germany’s far-right AfD party, hoping to clinch its first wins in two east German state elections on Sept. 1, is trying to pick up countryside votes by making opposition to renewable energy projects a centrepiece of its campaign. It proposes tougher new planning rules on constructing turbines, imposing higher energy-storage requirements for renewable projects, and rolling back rules requiring that set proportions of land be used for wind energy. AfD candidates are also peppering their social media pages with posts about how renewable energy is driving up consumers’ energy bills.
The message is resonating with rural communities frustrated with the centre-left federal government's push towards renewable energies and could boost the AfD in the elections in Thuringia and Saxony, where it is polling in first place on around 30%. This could in turn jeopardise Germany's overall green energy transition goals as the eastern states are the ones offering the necessary space for expansion of wind-power infrastructure due to their lower population density. A spokesperson for a Saxony-based wind power developer, who asked to speak anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters it now prioritises projects based on how strong the AfD is polling in different regions.
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