As the Yellow Vest movement in France started due to a popular resentment on increased fuel taxes, this is not an idle threat for environmentally friendly policy.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is campaigning in the mining state of Brandenburg with the motto “jobs are more important than the environment.” More than 16,000 jobs depend on coal in a state where many people are third generation miners. The AfD also argues that Germany could end up with the most expensive energy bill in Europe.
The junior coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD) rule the state in coalition with the far-Left Die Linke and both parties could face massive losses of votes in their natural constituency, the unionised blue-collar working class.
Full article available: https://www.neweurope.eu/article/as-co2-emissions-prices-increase-climate-issues-could-weigh-on-european-elections/