After the Federal Council vote – dispute in Brandenburg’s government after the vote on the cannabis law
dpa/Bernd Settnik
Video: rbb24 Brandenburg aktuell | 03/22/2024 | H. Christ/M. Woller | Image: dpa/Bernd Settnik
In the cannabis vote in the Federal Council, Brandenburg voted to call the mediation committee. There is clear criticism of this from the Greens. The state CDU appeals to Federal President Steinmeier to stop the law.
After the vote in the Federal Council on the topic of partial legalization of cannabis, there is a dispute in the Brandenburg government coalition. Brandenburg voted on Friday to call the mediation committee.
However, there was not a majority for this in the state chamber. The Federal Council cleared the way for the partial legalization of cannabis in Germany. He allowed the law passed by the Bundestag to allow possession and cultivation of the drug from April 1st for adults with requirements. The Greens in the state parliament reacted angrily to the voting behavior and blamed the Prime Minister. The state CDU is calling on Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to stop the law by not signing it.
Greens: Brandenburg voted contrary to the agreement
The Green parliamentary group in Brandenburg announced on Friday after the vote that, contrary to the previously negotiated agreement in the government coalition, Brandenburg had agreed in the state chamber to call the Mediation Committee on the Cannabis Act, just as in the case of the Budget Financing Act. “Dietmar Woidke lost twice today: neither the points he pursued on his own initiative found a majority in the Federal Council, nor did he live up to his responsibilities as head of a coalition government,” said Green Party parliamentary group leader Benjamin Raschke. There has been a loss of trust, which could also put a strain on explorations and coalition talks in September. “Dietmar Woidke has to ask himself how he wants to regain trust in the coalition,” said Raschke.
Brandenburg’s Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ursula Nonnemacher
Party colleague and Health Minister Ursula Nonnemacher told rbb: “This is a gross scandal and breach of trust.” Woidke is not doing justice to his leading role in a coalition: “Such an extreme affront will also burden future negotiations,” emphasized the deputy prime minister.
“In the future, through the presence of our Green ministers in the Federal Council, we will ensure that agreements made are adhered to,” added parliamentary group leader Raschke.
The Greens expressly welcomed the result of the vote in the Federal Council against calling the Mediation Committee: “With the Federal Council’s decision, the criminalization of cannabis is a thing of the past. And that’s a good thing,” said Raschke.
Woidke defends the voting behavior
Woidke said on Friday afternoon on the sidelines of a press conference in the State Chancellery that, in his opinion, the cannabis law was not fully developed. The police, judiciary and local authorities would face considerable burdens. There is also a great risk that cannabis will become a gateway drug for young people in the future. He thinks that’s irresponsible. “This urgently needs to be sharpened up,” said the SPD politician. That is why he agreed to call the mediation committee. The Prime Minister claimed that the SPD, CDU and Greens had agreed in the coalition agreement to avoid abstentions in the Bundesrat as far as possible. “I did that today in my policymaking capacity.”
The chairman of the CDU parliamentary group in the state parliament, Jan Redmann, is also critical of the vote result: “The catastrophe for the judiciary is taking its course. It has not been possible to put reason before ideology,” he said. “Well-founded warnings from the states are being ignored. The traffic light government in the federal government bears full responsibility for the fact that great damage is being done to our constitutional state and our justice system is being paralyzed.”
On Saturday, Redmann called on Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to stop the law, which is now being negotiated in the Bundestag and Bundesrat, in a final step by not signing it. This appeal from his federal party is “absolutely sensible,” said Redmann on Saturday on rbb24 Inforadio.
Broadcast: rbb24 Brandenburg aktuell, March 23, 2024, 9:20 a.m