He chose “wrong words” at an internal event. Oliver Blume is said to have boasted that he was in contact with FDP leader Lindner “almost every hour” during the coalition negotiations.
Porsche boss Oliver Blume has apologized for statements about an allegedly close exchange with FDP boss Christian Lindner during the traffic light coalition negotiations. “I chose the wrong words in an internal event,” said Blume picture on sunday. “It gave the wrong impression. I’m sorry.”
Blume reacted to a contribution in the ZDF satirical magazine “Die Anstalt”. There, the designated VW boss is said to have said to employees at a works meeting on June 29 that Porsche played a very large part in the further use of synthetic e-fuels for combustion engines being included in the coalition agreement. “We were the main drivers there, with very close contact to the coalition parties. Christian Lindner has kept me up to date almost every hour in the last few days,” Blume was quoted as saying.
Porsche spokesman: There was no influence
A Porsche spokesman told the newspaper: “During an internal event in June, the wording was exaggerated, and we apologize for that.” The choice of words does not correspond to the facts. The exchange did not take place and there was no influence.
Lindner had previously rejected the representation: Lindner’s position on the so-called e-fuels has been “known for years” and dates back to the time of the FDP in the opposition, said a party spokesman. “In October 2021 there was only a short phone call between Mr. Blume and Mr. Lindner on questions about the use of e-fuels”. The other negotiators of the coalition partners had also held such talks, which is also correct in view of the importance of the German automotive industry. With regard to Lindner’s actions at the end of June, the FDP stated that before this decision there had been “no contact whatsoever with Mr. Blume and also afterwards no attempt to influence Mr. Lindner’s long-standing position”.
At the end of June, there was a dispute within the traffic light coalition about a ban on new registrations of combustion cars from 2035 at EU level. Lindner had rejected the ban plans. In the coalition negotiations in autumn 2021, the traffic light had agreed to ban new registrations for combustion engines from 2035 – but there should be an exception for cars that can only be operated with e-fuels