Sabtu, 16 Oktober 2021

Norway bow and arrow attack: Five victims named as authorities launch independent investigation into police handling of incident in Kongsberg - Sky News

Five victims of a bow and arrow attack in Norway have been named as authorities in the country announced an independent investigation into the actions of police will take place.

Five people were shot dead and three people - including an off-duty police officer - were injured during the attack in Kongsberg on Wednesday.

A 37-year-old man named Espen Andersen Braathen, who police say admitted to the killings, has been charged and is undergoing psychiatric evaluation.

Espen Andersen Braathen, the suspect of a bow-and-arrow attack, which killed five people in a Norwegian town, is seen in this still image taken from a video. Espen Andersen Braathen via YouTube/NTB/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NORWAY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN NORWAY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT
Image: Espen Andersen Braathen

Detectives have requested that he be remanded in custody for four weeks, with full isolation for 14 days and he has now been moved into the care of the health services.

Authorities have confirmed those who were injured have been released from hospital.

On Saturday, the South-East Police District formally identified the five victims and said their relatives have been notified.

They were Andréa Meyer, 52, Hanne Merethe Englund, 56, Liv Berit Borge, 75, Gunnar Erling Sauve, 75, and Gun Marith Madsen, 78.

More on Kongsberg Attacks

It comes as Norwegian authorities announced an independent investigation into the actions of police and security agencies during the attack will take place.

The country's domestic intelligence agency, the PST, said it decided to seek the review after consulting national and regional police commanders.

"Given the seriousness of the matter, it is very important that learning points and any weaknesses and errors are identified quickly in order to be able to implement measures immediately," PST said in a statement.

Norway map of bow and arrow attacks location

News organisations in Norway have questioned how long it took officers to apprehend Braathen after the regional police department received reports about a man shooting arrows at a supermarket.

According to a timeline from police, the first information was logged at 6:13pm and he was caught at 6:47pm.

Police officials have said the first officers on the scene observed a suspect but took cover and called for reinforcements when arrows were fired at them.

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Police helicopters at scene of bow and arrow attacks

The officials have acknowledged the armed suspect got away and likely killed the five victims outdoors and inside some apartments at that point.

Police said a preliminary investigation suggested that the suspect acted alone and theorised Braathen had converted to Islam but added that the "theory about that is weakened".

Kongsberg 20211015..Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St..re (Labor Party) lays flowers and lights candles during his visit to Kongsberg on Friday night..Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB
Image: People have been laying flowers and candles

Senior police officer Per Thomas Omholt said during a news conference Friday that three weapons, including the bow and arrow, were used in the attack, but declined to identify the types or to reveal how the five victims were killed, saying investigators need to interview more witnesses and don't want their accounts influenced by what they read in the news.

People have been paying tribute to the victims, lighting candles and laying flowers in the town, which is around 51 miles (82km) southwest of the capital, Oslo.

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2021-10-16 17:20:40Z
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EXCLUSIVE Revealed: Bow and arrow 'terrorist' killed four victims in their homes in Norway rampage - Daily Mail

Pictured: Five victims slaughtered by bow and arrow 'terrorist' as he rampaged through Norwegian town

  • Espen Andersen Bråthen killed all five of his victims in the same Norway street
  • Retired couple Gunnar Sauve and Liv Borge have been named among the dead
  • Frail artist Gun Marith Madsen, 75, who walked with a frame was also killed

A retired couple in their 60s and a frail artist have been named among the victims of the bow and arrow 'terrorist' who rampaged through a Norwegian street.

Espen Andersen Bråthen allegedly attacked four of the victims in their own homes during the horrific killing spree.  

The four women and one man are believed to have been stabbed or hacked to death by the Muslim convert shortly after he unleashed a volley of arrows, hitting an off duty police officer in the back. 

Among the dead are Gunnar Sauve and Liv Borge, a married couple who were killed in their ground floor apartment.

Another victim was named locally as artist Gun Marith Madsen, 75, who walked with the aid of a frame. 

Andrea Meyer, 52, who was originally from Hamburg, died at the hands of the killer while ceramic artist Hanne Englund who was aged in her 50s was also killed.

The bow and arrow 'terrorist' who rampaged through a Norwegian town killed all five of his victims in the same street

The bow and arrow 'terrorist' who rampaged through a Norwegian town killed all five of his victims in the same street

Retired couple Gunnar Sauve and Liv Borge who are believed to have been aged in their 60s, were among those killed

Retired couple Gunnar Sauve and Liv Borge who are believed to have been aged in their 60s, were among those killed

Andrea Meyer, 52, who was originally from Hamburg, also died at the hands of the killer

Andrea Meyer, 52, who was originally from Hamburg, also died at the hands of the killer

Another victim was named locally as frail artist Gun Marith Madsen, 75, who walked with the aid of a frame

Another victim was named locally as frail artist Gun Marith Madsen, 75, who walked with the aid of a frame

The four women and one man are believed to have been stabbed or hacked to death by Muslim convert Espen Andersen Bråthen (pictured)

The four women and one man are believed to have been stabbed or hacked to death by Muslim convert Espen Andersen Bråthen (pictured)

Today, Norwegian police cast doubt on the narrative that the attacker was a serious convert to Islam, saying mental health issues played more of a role in the killings. 

Police inspector Per Thomas Omholt said: 'The thinking is that he did not take (the conversion) very seriously. By this we mean that he did not follow or practise the traditions that are common in this culture and religion.'

Website Nettavisen has published a video Brathen allegedly posted to social media in 2017, in which he issued a 'warning' and declared his Muslim faith. 

Brathen, 37, has been detained in a medical facility pending psychiatric evaluation.

'All the indications are that he chose his victims at random' and acted alone, Omholt said, describing Brathen as 'not very social'.

The killer, who was described as an oddball loner by his neighbours began his rampage by taking potshots at shoppers inside the Coop Extra supermarket in the sleepy town of Kongsberg, south east of Oslo.  

Local police officer Rigoberto Villarroel, 48, was in the store with his family when Bråthen began shooting his deadly arrows. 

He warned other shoppers to get away and was on the phone to his colleagues to tell them what was happening when Brathen shot at him and left an arrow embedded in his back. 

The brave officer continued to shout warnings at passers-by as he stood at the entrance to the store, but Bråthen managed to slip away while firing off other arrows, leaving at least one sticking out of a wooden house on Wednesday evening. 

Bråthen began his rampage by taking potshots at shoppers inside the Coop Extra supermarket in the sleepy town of Kongsberg (pictured)

Bråthen began his rampage by taking potshots at shoppers inside the Coop Extra supermarket in the sleepy town of Kongsberg (pictured)

Forensics dust for prints at the home of Mohammed Shabam who saw the bow-and-arrow attacker try to break into his property

Forensics dust for prints at the home of Mohammed Shabam who saw the bow-and-arrow attacker try to break into his property

Former electricity firm employee Ms Borge
Ex legal official Mr Sauve

The killer murdered former electricity firm employee Ms Borge (left) and ex legal official Mr Sauve in their ground floor apartment

Mr Sauve's daughter Elin Nærum Sauve confirmed their deaths in a Facebook post

Mr Sauve's daughter Elin Nærum Sauve confirmed their deaths in a Facebook post

The suspect ran around 250m down a hill, discarding his bow and a quiver of arrows on the way, to reach Hytegatten which is one of the most historic streets in Kongsberg, with a mix of clapperboard houses dating back to the 18th century and more modern properties. 

Once he was in Hytegatten, he murdered former electricity firm employee Ms Borge and ex legal official Mr Sauve in their ground floor apartment with panoramic views over the Numedalslågen River which flows through the town. 

Mr Sauve's daughter Elin Nærum Sauve confirmed their deaths in a Facebook post, saying: 'Unfortunately, my father and his partner were two of those killed during the attack on Kongsberg on Wednesday. 

'We have no more information about this than what the police have shared at press conferences. Thanks for all the support and nice greetings so far.' 

Mrs Madsen who was a widow was killed in her ground floor apartment at the end of the same street, around 100m away from the home of Mr Sauve and Ms Borge. 

Ceramic artist Hanne Englund who was aged in her 50s was earlier revealed to have also been murdered by Bråthen after he apparently got into her studio home (pictured)

Ceramic artist Hanne Englund who was aged in her 50s was earlier revealed to have also been murdered by Bråthen after he apparently got into her studio home (pictured)

Neighbours said two men living in the flat above her rushed to help after hearing a disturbance, but were unable to save her. 

Ceramic artist Hanne Englund who was aged in her 50s was earlier revealed to have also been murdered by Bråthen after he apparently got into her studio home in Hytegatten and barricaded himself inside. 

Local residents described the mother-of-two who had a long term partner as 'warm hearted' and 'flamboyant' and 'beautiful' with many friends around the town, and known for holding an annual midsummer party in her garden for all her neighbours. 

It is thought that Bråthen may have got in some of the homes he targeted through doors at the rear of the properties, possibly slipping away through rear gardens to avoid police who were desperately searching for him. 

Many people in the town are said to have often left their doors unlocked because of the area's low crime rate and the trust traditionally shown to neighbours in Norwegian society. 

A fourth woman who is believed to have lived locally is believed to have died after being attacked by Bråthen and left in a pool of blood outside Ms Englund's home. 

Bråthen, a Danish citizen who has lived most of his life in Norway, was arrested by police, more than 30 minutes after his rampage began

Bråthen, a Danish citizen who has lived most of his life in Norway, was arrested by police, more than 30 minutes after his rampage began

Two other people, in addition to the police officer, were injured in the attack. It is not known if they were hit by arrows or stabbed. 

Bråthen, a Danish citizen who has lived most of his life in Norway, was arrested by police, more than 30 minutes after his rampage began, after he was cornered close to Hytegatten, and officers fired warning shots. 

He has been charged with five counts of murder and has been remanded into the custody of the Norwegian health services while police continue their investigations. 

Hanne Englund has been named locally as one of the five people murdered by the Norwegian bow and arrow killer during his horrific 'terror' rampage

Hanne Englund has been named locally as one of the five people murdered by the Norwegian bow and arrow killer during his horrific 'terror' rampage

A preliminary hearing on Friday morning at the Buskerud District Court decided that Bråthen should be held for four weeks by the health services, as requested by police. 

He was banned from writing letters and receiving visits during the period and must spend the first two weeks in full isolation. 

Bråthen who lived alone in Kongsberg and had previously been banned from visiting his parents after threatening to kill his father, did not appear in court. 

His former friends said he had been jobless for many years after effectively 'withdrawing' from society. 

Police were often at his house, and court documents show he picked up multiple convictions for aggravated theft and drug possession. 

Bråthen's one remaining friend broke ties with him in 2017 when he spotted him on a YouTube video, saying he had converted to Islam and making veiled threats. 

Candles and floral tributes have been left outside the three homes where victims were attacked, as well as in a central square on the other side of the river. 

Norway's new prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre who was only on his second day in office visited the square on Friday night to pay respects to the dead. 

He also visited the street where the killings happened Kari Hoff, 82, who lives opposite Mrs Madsen's home said: 'I only realised something was happening when I heard a helicopter overhead. It was flying so low. 

Student Mohammed Shabam, 25, who lives at the end of Hytegatten said he and his friend Ibrahim Saffokri, 20, who lives with him had a lucky escape (home pictured)

Student Mohammed Shabam, 25, who lives at the end of Hytegatten said he and his friend Ibrahim Saffokri, 20, who lives with him had a lucky escape (home pictured)

Norwegian police confirmed that Bråthen was a Muslim convert, and stated that he had made admissions about carrying out the attacks

Norwegian police confirmed that Bråthen was a Muslim convert, and stated that he had made admissions about carrying out the attacks

Then I saw police everywhere. They went to all the apartments asking if everyone was OK, and told everyone to lock their doors and stay inside.' 

Mrs Masden's friend Ellen Langaas Jensen said: 'She was very powerful in her character. She wore colourful clothes and enjoyed painting flowers. She was a very kind person and young at heart.' 

Student Mohammed Shabam, 25, who lives at the end of Hytegatten said he and his friend Ibrahim Saffokri, 20, who lives with him had a lucky escape when Bråthen started banging on their window during his rampage. 

He said: 'We all ran into a bedroom to get away from him. The door of the house was unlocked so he could easily have come in. We are now just happy to be alive.' 

Eir Marie Ouff Seim, 39, who walks through Hytegatten every day on the way to work, said: 'This is a beautiful street, but now it is a pace of sadness. 

Kongsberg is a small town in southern Norway that straddles the Numedalslågen river with a population of about 26,000. It is known as the home of the Royal Norwegian Mint, houses the headquarters of a major arms manufacturer, and serves as a satellite campus for the University of South-Eastern Norway

 Kongsberg is a small town in southern Norway that straddles the Numedalslågen river with a population of about 26,000. It is known as the home of the Royal Norwegian Mint, houses the headquarters of a major arms manufacturer, and serves as a satellite campus for the University of South-Eastern Norway

'What has happened is surreal. It is just not right. The person who did this has to have a really sick mind. This sort of thing just doesn't happen in Kongsberg. Our town is known for being beautiful and quiet.' 

Members of the Fontenehuset community group in Kongsberg spent today hanging up heart shaped cards on local streets, with hand written messages such as 'Hug to you', 'You need to care', 'Stay together' and 'You are Not alone'. 

Group member Liv Oline said: 'We want to reclaim the town after what has happened. I lived close to the man who was responsible. He looked like an ordinary man, but he seemed lonely, but I never quarrelled with him.' 

Norwegian police confirmed that Bråthen was a Muslim convert, and stated that he had made admissions about carrying out the attacks. 

Officers also confirmed that they had been told in the past about fears that Bråthen had been radicalised. 

Officers also confirmed that they had been told in the past about fears that Bråthen had been radicalised

Officers also confirmed that they had been told in the past about fears that Bråthen had been radicalised

Candles and floral tributes have been left outside the three homes where victims were attacked, as well as in a central square on the other side of the river

Candles and floral tributes have been left outside the three homes where victims were attacked, as well as in a central square on the other side of the river

Oussama Tlili, imam of the mosque in Kongsberg, confirmed that Bråthen had visited three times about four or five years ago but 'seemed to know nothing about Islam.' 

He told local media that Bråthen had spoken to him incoherently about 'a message' he had been passed by some higher power, saying he needed help to deliver it. 

Tlili told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: 'I explained to him that I could not help him with that. I said that Kongsberg is not the place to do it.' 

The imam added that he had concerns about Bråthen's mental health and thought about telling the police, but he quickly stopped coming to the mosque and the incident was forgotten. 

A local Muslim said she did not believe that Bråthen was a true convert as he had not changed his name. 

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2021-10-16 09:57:32Z
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Oil tanker hijacking: Iranian ship 'under attack' in Gulf of Aden – crew try to fight back - Daily Express

The news has led CN Wire to tweet: "Iran navy fends off attack on oil tanker in Gulf of Aden." On Saturday naval vessels repelled pirates who attacked an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden. Iran's state media reported that pirates in five speedboats attacked the unidentified tanker.

However, the pirates fled after facing heavy gunfire from Iran's navy.

Iran’s navy has deployed vessels to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirate attacks in recent years.

Iranian vessels have come under increased attack in the region.

In August, an Iranian oil tanker came under attack by 12 Somalian pirate boats.

READ MORE: Your move Biden! Iran ambassador still 'waiting' for US to repair ties

The Iranian tankers were being sent to Syria to be later transferred to Lebanon.

Hezbollah has warned that any shipments of Iranian oil headed for Lebanon is considered "Lebanese territory".

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah warned before the first ship departed Iran that "from the moment the Iranian ship sails, Hezbollah will consider it Lebanese territory."

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2021-10-16 13:22:23Z
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Jumat, 15 Oktober 2021

New Zealand's official WIZARD is fired after joking about hitting women - Daily Mail

New Zealand's official WIZARD is fired after joking about hitting women: British 88-year-old loses £8,200-a-year role he has held for 23 years and says he has been 'cancelled'

  • Ian Brackenbury Channell, 88, was named the city's official wizard since 1982
  • Since 1998, he has been paid £8,200 annually to perform 'acts of magic' for city
  • In April, he made several off-colour remarks about women on a television show
  • Christchurch council ended his contract and said it wanted to be more modern
  • Channell has vowed to continue his duties, telling local media: 'They'll have to kill me to stop me'

A city in New Zealand has cast its official wizard from the public payroll following 23 years of service after joking about hitting women.

London-born Ian Brackenbury Channell, 88, was paid NZ$16,000 (£8,200) each year to perform 'acts of wizardry and other wizard-like services' to promote Christchurch under a contract inked in 1998.

The city said it ended Channell's contract because it wanted to go in a more modern and diverse direction.

But the wizard himself claimed to local media that he was being 'cancelled' because he no longer fitted 'the vibes' of the city, describing himself as a 'provocateur'.

'They are a bunch of bureaucrats who have no imagination,'' he told news website, Stuff

In April, Channell told a comedy current affairs show that he would 'never strike a woman because they bruise too easily' - a remark which drew considerable criticism. 

British-born Ian Brackenbury Channell, 88, was paid NZ$16,000 (£8,200) each year to 'acts of wizardry and other wizard-like services' to promote Christchurch [File photo]

British-born Ian Brackenbury Channell, 88, was paid NZ$16,000 (£8,200) each year to 'acts of wizardry and other wizard-like services' to promote Christchurch [File photo]

The city said it ended Channell's contract because it wanted to go in a more modern and diverse direction. But the wizard claimed he was being 'cancelled' because he no longer fitted 'the vibes' of the city. Pictured: Channell speaks to locals before a memorial at the Botanic Gardens following the twin mosque shooting in Christchurch in 2019

The city said it ended Channell's contract because it wanted to go in a more modern and diverse direction. But the wizard claimed he was being 'cancelled' because he no longer fitted 'the vibes' of the city. Pictured: Channell speaks to locals before a memorial at the Botanic Gardens following the twin mosque shooting in Christchurch in 2019

'I love women, I forgive them all the time, I've never struck one yet. Never strike a woman because they bruise too easily is the first thing, and they'll tell the neighbours and their friends… and then you're in big trouble,' he said.

Earlier in the show, Channell has said he enjoyed teasing women by telling them they were devious, and said 'they use cunning to get men who are thick'.   

A council spokesperson told The Guardian that Channell had been sent a letter thanking him for his service and informing that his contract was terminated. 

Lynn McClelland said Channell would 'forever be a part of [Christchurch's] history'. 

Despite his termination of employment, the wizard told Stuff he will continue carrying out his duties.

'I will still keep going. They will have to kill me to stop me,' he said.  

Channell, often dressed in a long cloak and pointy hat, has become a Christchurch tourist attraction and was even on the Queen's Birthday Honours list in 2009 [File photo]

Channell, often dressed in a long cloak and pointy hat, has become a Christchurch tourist attraction and was even on the Queen's Birthday Honours list in 2009 [File photo]

'There is nobody else anything like me in Christchurch.

'It's just they [the council] don't like me because they are boring old bureaucrats and everyone likes me and no one likes them,' he said.

Channell began performing acts of magic as entertainment in public spaces in Christchurch after arriving in New Zealand in 1976. 

When police tried to arrest him, a public protest led to a local square being designated a public speaking area. 

Since then, Channell, often dressed in a long cloak and pointy hat, has become a Christchurch tourist attraction and was even on the Queen's Birthday Honours list in 2009.

In 1982 he was declared a living work of art by the New Zealand Art Gallery Directors Association, and that same year became the city's official wizard in 1982. 

Under a unique tax-free status, he has been paid some $368,000 from the state since then. He is believed to have been the world's only state-appointed wizard.

Prior to moving to New Zealand, Channell studied sociology and psychology at Leeds University.

He then moved to Australia to teach sociology at the University of New South Wales.

In 1990, then-New Zealand Prime Minister Mike Moore, asked Channell to 'urgently consider' becoming the country's official Wizard.

'I am concerned that your wizardry is not at the disposal of the entire nation,' Moore wrote in a letter.

'No doubt there will be implications in the area of spells, blessings, curses, and other supernatural matters that are beyond the competence of mere Prime Ministers.'

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2021-10-15 14:07:11Z
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Texas abortion law: Biden administration to request block on abortion ban - BBC News

Supporters of reproductive choice take part in the nationwide Women's March
Reuters

US President Joe Biden's administration has said it will ask the Supreme Court to block a restrictive Texas law that imposes a near-total ban on abortion.

It comes after a federal appeals court reinstated the law.

The Supreme Court cited procedural issues when deciding against intervening to block it last month.

The law bans abortions after what anti-abortion campaigners call a foetal heartbeat is detected, a notion disputed by medical authorities.

The law - which makes an exception for a documented medical emergency but not for cases of rape or incest - gives any individual the right to sue doctors who perform an abortion past the six-week point.

Critics have said this provision - which provides monetary awards for those whose lawsuits are successful - lets people act as anti-abortion bounty hunters.

President Biden has vowed to fight the Texas ban, citing Americans' constitutional rights.

Since the 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v Wade, US women have had the right to an abortion until a foetus is viable - that is, able to survive outside the womb. This is usually between 22 and 24 weeks into a pregnancy.

In response to a Justice Department lawsuit over the Texas law, US District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin, Texas, last week issued a preliminary injunction halting its enforcement, calling it "flagrantly unconstitutional" and a violation of Roe v. Wade.

The judge said he would "not sanction one more day of this offensive deprivation of such an important right".

But the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals effectively reinstated the ban in Texas on most abortions once a heartbeat is detected in the womb.

On Thursday, the court confirmed the law would remain in place during ongoing proceedings.

The Justice Department is expected to formally file its appeal in the coming days.

The decision of the Supreme Court - which has a 6-3 conservative majority - will be watched closely throughout the US.

Its initial refusal to intervene was seen as confirmation of its conservative leanings after appointments by former President Donald Trump.

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2021-10-15 23:57:02Z
52781936475532

La Palma volcano: Lava 'tsunami' as earthquake intensifies eruption - Euronews

Experts have described the latest volcanic activity on La Palma as a "tsunami of lava".

Huge rivers of molten rock have been spewing from the crater in recent days after a 4.5-magnitude earthquake shook the island on Thursday and intensified flows.

The quake is the strongest recorded since the Cumbre Vieja volcano -- on the island of La Palma in the Spanish Canary Islands -- began erupting almost a month ago.

"Today one of our crew was able to film a truly lava 'tsunami'. Amazing speed and overflow of the lava channel," said the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute, publishing the footage, which is included below.

Lava rolling toward the Atlantic Ocean forced the evacuation of more than 300 people late on Thursday, bringing the number of people forced from their homes since Tuesday to 1,200, according to the La Palma government. About 7,000 people in all have had to flee since the eruption, the government said.

Authorities have reported no casualties from the eruption on the island of some 85,000 people.

Most of the island, where the economy is based mostly on farming and tourism, has been unaffected so far.

Two main rivers of lava were still flowing from the Cumbre Vieja ridge on Friday. The initial one has slowed to a virtual stop, but a second one is spewing a large amount of molten rock and compelling authorities to stay alert for further possible evacuations.

The volcano has coughed up ocean sediment that pre-dates the island’s formation 2 million years ago, Vicente Soler of Spain’s Higher Center for Scientific Research said.

The lava has fully or partially destroyed more than 1,500 buildings, most of them homes, and covered more than 680 hectares, according to an EU satellite monitoring agency.

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2021-10-15 15:20:02Z
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Germany closes in on SPD-led government with Scholz at helm - Financial Times

Olaf Scholz has moved closer to succeeding Angela Merkel as German chancellor after his Social Democrats agreed with the Greens and liberal Free Democrats on moving towards formal negotiations to create a three-party coalition.

At a joint press conference in Berlin on Friday, Scholz hailed the results of eight days of exploratory talks on a tie-up that has no precedent in Germany’s postwar history. “A new start is possible with the three parties that have come together here,” he said.

The announcement indicates that Germany is heading for an SPD-led coalition with Scholz as chancellor and that Merkel’s CDU/CSU will be confined to opposition for the first time in 16 years.

The SPD, Greens and FDP all saw their share of the vote increase in last month’s election, while the CDU/CSU slumped to 24.1 per cent — the worst result in its history.

The three parties released a 12-page paper on Friday that sketched out what they had agreed during the talks. This will form the basis of formal coalition negotiations.

The document must still be approved by a Green party conference scheduled for this weekend and by the governing executive of the FDP, though both are expected to give the go-ahead for formal talks.

Scholz said the three parties had agreed to implement the “biggest industrial modernisation project Germany has undertaken in more than 100 years”, with huge investments in climate protection and an overhaul of the country’s creaky bureaucracy.

“There has not been a comparable chance in a long time to modernise our society, economy and state . . . and we can’t let this chance pass us by,” said Christian Lindner, FDP leader.

The three parties also wanted to “significantly increase” private and public investments over the coming years, but without touching the “debt brake” — Germany’s constitutional restriction on new borrowing.

The Greens had called for a loosening of the rule to allow €500bn in investments over the next decade, much of it financed through increased public debt. But the FDP has always insisted the debt brake must stand.

The paper contains important SPD election promises, such as a commitment to raising Germany’s minimum wage to €12 per hour. It also rules out any cuts in the state pension or an increase in Germany’s pensionable age, and says the next government should aim to build 400,000 new flats a year, 100,000 of them in the social housing sector.

It also satisfies Green demands, saying Germany’s next government must “drastically accelerate” the buildout of renewable energy and exit all coal-fired power by 2030 — eight years earlier than currently planned. All new commercial buildings will be obliged to have solar panels installed and 2 per cent of Germany’s total territory will be set aside for wind turbines.

But the Greens were unable to overcome liberal resistance to one of their big demands — a speed limit on German motorways. The FDP also blocked any attempt to raise the income tax rate for high earners and to introduce a wealth tax — a demand of both the SPD and Greens.

The FDP also got its way with a mention in the paper of one of its key demands — “super” tax write-offs for investments in climate protection and digitisation.

The paper says the three parties will strive to create a “digital state” that works “proactively for its citizens”. Administrative procedures will be accelerated, bureaucracy reduced and big investments in fast internet mobilised. The parties also said they would seek to reform Germany’s citizenship laws to enable immigrants to obtain residency status more quickly.

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2021-10-15 13:54:01Z
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