German Diesel Cheating Gives Fuel to Merkel Foes
- Social Democrats say transport minister carries responsibility
- Merkel’s Bavarian allies urge tougher steps against carmakers
A fuel gauge sits on a dashboard of a Volkswagen AG Passat TDI automobile.
Photographer: Miles Willis/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
German carmakers’ cheating on diesel emissions and possible collusion on technology have handed campaign ammunition to parties challenging Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party bloc, which runs the ministry in charge of overseeing the industry.
Less than seven weeks before the Sept. 24 ballot, the opposition Green party and the Social Democrats, Merkel’s junior coalition partner, are seeking to capitalize on the industry’s wrongdoings and what they see as halfhearted attempts by Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt to shed light on the scandal and force carmakers to comply with emission rules.