Lützerath has been cleared for days. The CDU mayor of the affected city of Erkelenz, Stephan Muckel, had previously refused to release it. How he assesses the situation now.
For many, the town of Lützerath in North Rhine-Westphalia has been a symbol of climate protection since this week. And although the Greens in particular argue a lot about the case there, CDU politician Stephan Muckel is also anything but enthusiastic that the village is now being demolished so that the energy company RWE can mine coal there.
Because Muckel is the mayor of the city of Erkelenz, which also includes Lützerath. And as late as December, he refused to prepare for the eviction.
The attitude of the place hasn’t changed since the 1980s, says Muckel. One knew that “the opencast mine will eventually come to the urban area. And we want to keep as much space as possible.” For him personally it was unthinkable to sign an eviction for part of the city area. But the topic of climate protection is also “enormously important” for the city of Erkelenz.
On the other hand, he still finds the fact that Lützerath has become a symbol exaggerated. “The global climate is not saved and defended at this hamlet,” says Muckel. He wants a quick, peaceful evacuation so he can start planning for the future. In this episode he explains what that looks like and how he experienced the police operation.
The editorial deadline for this program was Friday, January 13, 2023 at 6 p.m.
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