In an interview with the APA, she called for clear paths to reducing emissions, a mobility transition, nature conservation and a move away from fossil energy as prerequisites for green support for the future leadership of the Commission. In her criticism, Schilling referred to the struggle over the “Nature Restoration Law”. The European People’s Party (EPP), including the ÖVP, in particular railed once morest the plan last year. Thousands of scientists, however, had publicly spoken out in favor of it and tried to refute the most common objections in an open letter. In July of the previous year, the EU Parliament finally voted for the law in a weaker form, but there is currently no majority in the Council. Austria also does not support the law.
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“Progressive turn”
Schilling did not want to give a clear answer as to whether the Greens would support Ursula von der Leyen as the new head of the EU Commission this time, who campaigned for the Green Deal in 2019, because that would depend on the candidates and their programs. “For me it’s actually regarding electing a Commission President who stands for a progressive change, where it’s regarding putting climate protection, the social issue and equality at the top of the agenda,” she said.
The fact that the ÖVP – the coalition partner of the Greens in Austria – and its sister parties CDU and CSU in Germany are now massively attacking the end of new combustion vehicles from 2035 is met with incomprehension by the Greens from an economic perspective. Companies need to be able to plan, she said, and for them “this zigzag course” would be a catastrophe. However, Schilling did not want to see it as an end to the People’s Party as a partner for the Greens in Europe and Austria.
Schilling regrets saying goodbye to Karas
There are also “glimmers of hope” in the form of more progressive forces in the EPP, she said. “People like Othmar Karas voted for climate protection and nature conservation in many cases,” she said, regretting his departure. In Austria, for example, the ÖVP blocked the climate protection law. But she hopes that the conservatives at the EU level will change course if they realize that their blockades on climate protection and nature conservation are also driving agriculture into crisis in the coming years. This level is important, following all, 80 percent of domestic laws are made in the Union.
