German Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt said on Tuesday he had acted alone in ordering officials to vote in favor of renewing the controversial weedkiller glyphosate in Europe — without consulting Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Schmidt’s move triggered outrage from Social Democrats, the junior partners in Germany’s caretaker government — especially from Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks, who opposed the renewal.
Hendricks said Schmidt had acknowledged her objection in a text message ahead of the vote, meaning that the German government should have abstained.
“I have made the decision on my own and within the responsibility of my department,” Schmidt told German public broadcaster ARD this morning, adding that he had made the decision in an “objectively oriented matter.”
Schmidt’s move has also aggravated the Greens party, spurring calls for him to resign. Green MP Renate Künast told the news agency DPA it was “unbelievable” that Schmidt approved a five-year renewal of the license for the weedkiller despite a lack of agreement within the government.
If Schmidt had acted without Merkel’s knowledge, she said, he should be sacked.
Related Posts
Covid-19: White House criticises ‘chaotic’ vaccine rollout
A senior White House official has criticised the Trump administration's rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine calling it "chaotic" and "very...
Type 2 diabetes: Mindfulness shown to lower high blood sugar levels – how to practice it
Type 2 diabetes is characterised by a battle with high blood sugar levels, which can inflict serious damage on the body. High...
Prince George’s Approves Requiring Healthy Kids’ Meals at Restaurants
A healthy meal and drink will soon be the required default option for kids’ meals at all restaurants in Prince...
Asian Games: Two Indonesian skateboarders secure ticket to final
When we get out of the glass bottle of our ego and when we escape like the squirrels in the...
Burkina Faso: Growing Violence Threatens Health Care
Away from the worlds attention, Burkina Faso has been slipping into violence. In less than a year, t..
Leave a Reply
MOST VIEWED
-
‘Amphan’ may bring first flood of year in Assam: CWC
-
Playboy Model Marisa Papen Arrested For Dragging Cross In Front Of Vatican While Naked
-
Russia Scores Gold In Women’s Figure Skating, Leaving USA Ladies Without Medals
-
11 Effortless Ways to Wear Adidas Pants Like a Street Style Pro
-
Where to buy Bitcoin in the UK and how does it work
