German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces re-election on September 22 and is looking for support wherever she can find it. During the Frankfurt Motor Show, she came out in support of German automakers and promised to fight against lowered CO2 emissions limits, which German luxury automakers are desperately fighting against.

Chancellor Merkel blocked a deal a few months ago that would have lowered emissions to 95g/km of CO2 by 2020. She says that lowered emissions requirements “impose greater burdens on our industry than other continents do with their own industry."

"Europe must learn that we are not an isolated continent but that we must succeed in global competition," said Chancellor Merkel at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The German automakers have been outspoken in their criticism against the EU’s attempts to lower mandated CO2 emissions.

"Lawyers and bureaucrats have to listen to the engineers with their technical know-how. The automotive industry will not make a good political pawn,” said Matthias Wissmann, head of VDA, the German auto industry association.

However, Chancellor Merkel and the VDA are facing opposition from politicians, bureaucrats and scientists. The UN wants to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The European Federation for Transport and Environment say in a recent report that automakers will have no problem reducing emissions to 95g/km of CO2 by 2020.

Source: Automotive News Europe