In their preliminary agreement, the coalition parties in talk to form a new government – the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) – said they had no plans to introduce a speed limit on Germany’s Autobahn network. 

But a growing majority of people in Germany are in favour of it, a poll by German broadcaster ARD shows.

When asked about sensible measures for environmental and climate protection, a clear majority (60 percent) said that a speed limit of 130 kilometres per hour on all stretches of the Autobahn was a step in the right direction, according to the ARD-DeutschlandTrend poll.

This figure is three percentage points higher than in June, signalling that support for a speed limit is going up. 

READ ALSO: German Autobahns to remain speeders’ paradise 

The agreement concluded by the SPD, Greens and FDP as a basis for coalition talks stated that “there will be no general speed limit”.

It meant the Green party had given up on their manifesto pledge to impose a general 130 km/hour speed limit German highways.

The liberal FDP are vehemently against such a limit on the Autobahns, which are famed around the world as being some of the only motorways where car drivers can drive as fast as they want without breaking the law in some places. 

Germans ‘against higher costs on food, fuel and energy prices’

The ARD survey also asked Germans what they thought about other possible climate protection measures.

Higher taxes on types of food, fuel and energy prices as a way of helping to protect the climate were not favoured by the population.

Only 39 percent of those surveyed said they thought a price increase for animal-based products to be the right measure – nine percentage points less than in June.

Meanwhile, 57 percent said that higher prices for meat and dairy products would be a step in the wrong direction. A possible further increase in the price of petrol was met with even more opposition: 78 percent were against it, and just 19 percent in favour.

Higher energy prices were viewed critically by 84 percent of people surveyed, while only 14 percent were in favour.

Vocabulary

The majority – (die) Mehrheit

Speed limit – (das) Tempolimit

Mood – (die) Stimmung 

Fuels – (die) Kraftstoffe or (der) Kraftstoff

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