It will be illegal to sell a new combustion-powered vehicle in the EU or California come 2035, and several other American states are expected to adopt California’s lead. Things are moving even faster in the UK, which has pledged to kill new ICE sales off by 2030.
The thing these decisions have in common, besides being taken in an attempt to save the planet from catastrophic climate change, is that they were made without asking the hundreds of millions of people that will be affected by the outcome: us.
Italy’s Salvini Wants A Referendum
Italy’s former deputy prime minister believes that’s wrong. He thinks Italian citizens should get a say over the EU’s decision to ban combustion cars from 2035. Matteo Salvini is demanding a referendum on the ruling that requires all new car to emit no tailpipe emissions by the middle of the next decade, which effectively outlaws petrol and diesel vehicles.
“Let the workers of the Mirafiori plant and from all over Italy decide if it’s fair to fire people in Italy and give China an advantage,” he said in comments reported by Bloomberg.
Related: Ferrari, McLaren And Other Supercar Firms Get Extra Time To Meet CO2 Target
Fiat’s 500 has gone electric but Salvini thinks Italians shouldn’t be forced to do the same
The automotive industry is a major employer in Italy and cars are among its key exports. The Mirafirori plant Salvini mentions is a former Fiat factory located in Turin that is now owned by Stellantis. It is the headquarters for Fiat, currently builds multiple models including the Fiat 500, and employs around 18,000 people.
Salvini, who once described Vladimir Putin as “the best politician and statesman in the world” is well known for his anti-EU stance and conservative, neo-nationalist views, so it’s not a huge surprise that he’s come out against the 2035 zero-emissions ruling.
But does he have a point? Should our leaders, whether at state or national level, give regular people a say before making major decisions like outlawing ICE vehicle sales? Or should we trust the politicians that we voted in to draw on all the expert guidance available to them and do what’s best for us?
