EU Combustion Engine Ban Controversy: CDU Faces Backlash and Allegations of Vote Tampering

By Govind Tekale By Govind Tekale

The CDU halted an online survey about the EU-wide ban on combustion engines after just a few hours.

[{"selector":"#anim-45c96f4c-7a53-4171-b530-52885984a54e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.22338858221109%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c922f655-3a09-42c3-a654-cc05f400b623","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ad4d5751-eb20-40e1-8387-3c7c31b48cf2","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-92690158-700d-4890-8eb1-b7035af88247","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8187b5b-b420-42f9-ac11-f76a647d1eeb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- Google

This survey has been massively manipulated," stated Aktion.cdu.de/ja-zum-auto on May 25, 2024.

[{"selector":"#anim-d84e2a6f-9418-4d4d-ae0b-308feab431f0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.22338858221109%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90a507d4-d749-4516-b408-795d5da3f142","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bfdb758f-af36-41c5-b60b-759a31182b29","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49a43c31-efbc-4bf1-b47d-a8a2a1b70455","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-35fd6138-e847-4bc8-bae4-a5f73ff8bafc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- Google

Tens of thousands of votes were cast automatically, leading to the survey's suspension.

[{"selector":"#anim-9f915124-572d-492e-946c-d038acea95c9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.22338858221109%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8418f95b-efd9-4860-94a7-dde18d5001b8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8b1ea870-517f-4036-813a-e0a88dad7228","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ba3fc51-7a2b-48ab-abfd-136d9bc2f38a","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0c5d3a3-8fb9-4542-b2c4-af49f4656836","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- Google

By Saturday morning, more than 85% had voted against the CDU's demand to reverse the ban.

[{"selector":"#anim-78d29964-3e27-4698-bef1-6aa095e33b40 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.22338858221109%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a74137dc-b3f8-4617-9385-6bd590dd835e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79e95989-5bbf-409b-a62e-70168336ed49","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5fdee6e7-d04c-4d3b-a68a-5ae4f5c4e638","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c81438f-6ced-45a6-b079-80844231ee9a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- Google

Green Party Chairwoman Ricarda Lang questioned whether the Union was already campaigning against its own top candidate.

[{"selector":"#anim-5c045796-c8da-4caf-a95d-ae284b4bb8e8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.22338858221109%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-59288d94-81c7-4772-9e41-05a0a1885b0e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aa64af4b-f640-4518-99d1-175b19d480f8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b35a3be-720e-4cf5-8de5-b384f2ffe268","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6994181a-d9da-4532-968e-e6d07da0478a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- Google

Isabel Cademartori, SPD transport policy spokeswoman, called the CDU campaign "backward-looking and embarrassing.

[{"selector":"#anim-d30e27e9-75b7-4c63-97dd-87acf23b3970 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.22338858221109%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-00837825-590d-49d2-a5e1-ac0271918a58","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db826859-d6e9-4f7f-8b56-1edb1d6bf23e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b302c656-c7c7-4cf4-ad87-0c0c0e760211","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-23b879ce-76ee-4e76-b4a3-f0ee66e59d3d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- Google

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that the 2026 review of the combustion engine ban is crucial.

[{"selector":"#anim-a1f672c0-5ff1-42f9-9eb3-6bb2930c3038 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.22338858221109%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d5766e62-0229-4cc5-8dd9-59992839407f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08b18b29-7e86-4574-b3db-f6bb6197d5c6","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90234521-889a-455c-b228-31f34b885fba","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1dd37dff-455b-44b5-8cdf-7883a439f79f","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- Google

The German Association of the Automotive Industry focuses on electromobility but supports renewable fuels for existing vehicles.

[{"selector":"#anim-10d1faa7-bdd0-45c3-8144-fe6c6aedf033 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.22338858221109%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d97cf5cf-0eec-41f3-b026-4b8eca2de68c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-32cd46f7-38e3-40c8-bfd5-f3573a73ac43","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1847a5cb-25c8-42b4-b97c-0d1eaab8600c","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-85b9731d-27c2-404a-ba7f-e3f5a5c4ea31","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- Google

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse criticized the EU ban, highlighting resource shortages for mass electric car production.

[{"selector":"#anim-a43c7831-d5dd-4790-9c91-6d29816937c1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.22338858221109%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10d48122-7e01-40f0-a055-d7a0a3579d53","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3e92b0ea-f1ee-4e30-837e-042be6da0c36","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f89d4385-74a8-452e-b5a3-5d4af70c7c7a","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ee3a2e8-f470-495e-8b97-5987014e4048","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- Google