Niedrigwasser: „Am Ende stehen Produktionsbänder still“: CDU-Wirtschaftsflügel fordert Aufhebung des Lkw-Sonntagsfahrverbots

The situation on Germany's waterways is worsening, with the federal agency for water management predicting only five to eight centimeters of water at the key location of Kaub on the Rhine on Saturday, barely any more on Sunday. The previous record from the drought year of 2018 stood at 25 centimeters. Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) has been in office for nearly three weeks and has already called two emergency sessions on the low water issue: a summit with industry and associations in Bonn, followed by a conference call with state transport ministers on Wednesday.

However, the Middle Ground and Economy Union (MIT) believes their measures are insufficient. In a decision paper obtained exclusively by the Handelsblatt, the MIT describes the inland shipping situation as "precarious," particularly on the Rhine. The low water could jeopardize the economic recovery in Germany. Therefore, the CDU economic wing is demanding the nationwide lifting of the Sunday driving ban for trucks, as well as a unified crisis intervention plan for the entire country that automatically activates during low water, natural disasters, or infrastructure failures.

"When the ship cannot travel, the truck must step in, even on Sundays, even at night," said MIT chief Gitta Connemann (CDU). The MIT also pushes for a flexibilization of the labor time law. Those who comply with driving and rest hours must be allowed to drive, Connemann stated. "Safety, but no standstill."