In April 2024, the German government introduced legislation that would create the largest recreational cannabis market in Europe. The move allows citizens to grow their own cannabis plants and become members of non-profit cannabis clubs, giving the country some of the most liberal cannabis policies on the continent. But just over seven months after this landmark legislation was passed, Germany’s “traffic light” coalition government is facing collapse, placing the future of cannabis in doubt.
What happened to the coalition?
Germany’s federal traffic light coalition (so named for the traditional colours of the three parties) was formed following the 2021 election between the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Free Democratic Party (FDP), and the Greens, with the SDP’s Olaf Scholz as Chancellor. The SDP and the Greens have historically sat on the left of the political spectrum while the FDP had previously lent support to Conservative parties on the right.
Three years later, on the 6th of November, internal disputes over economic policy and an escalation of political tensions came to a head when Scholz dismissed Finance Minister Christian Lindler of the FDP.
The move has effectively led to the collapse of the traffic light coalition, setting the stage for a vote of no confidence in January and an early election by the end of March 2025. So, with cannabis reforms only just taking hold in Europe’s largest cannabis market, what could this mean for weed in Germany?
Is a rollback of reforms inevitable?
Germany’s right-leaning parties, including the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, have been making gains in recent polls, indicating they could take control of the Bundestag should elections go ahead on the proposed date the 23rd of February. For supporters of cannabis legalisation in Germany, this could be worrying.
Initially, some prominent figures in the German cannabis sector have been quick to suggest that a full rollback on cannabis legalisation is unlikely. Commenting on the situation in a post on LinkedIn, Niklas Kouparanis, CEO of German cannabis company Bloomwell, insisted the progression of legalisation will not be halted by a change in government.
“The good news is that the cannabis sector will continue to be steered in the right direction, regardless of who becomes the next German chancellor. A great deal of progress has already been made, and we won’t be backpedalling. If that were to be the case, first, the CDU would have to form a coalition with one of the three former traffic light coalition parties,” he says.
“Additionally, a complete withdrawal of the CanG bill that has already been implemented since April would be a total logistical nightmare. Even extremely reactionary politicians wouldn’t have the time or motivation to take that on.”
However, during a debate in the Bundestag last week, Germany’s conservative parties appeared to commit to overturning cannabis reforms if they win a majority in next year’s election. The CDU/CSU’s health policy spokesperson, Tino Sorge, commented: “We don’t want to smoke pot, we want safety and order. We will implement this after the next federal election.”
The apparent pledge to roll back reforms was labelled “absurd and out of touch with reality” by FDP politician Kristine Lütke in a recent tweet, while the Greens’ Kirsten Kappert-Gonther criticised the conservative union’s “obsessive relationship” with cannabis.
1/ Heute setzt die CDU/CSU ein einziges Thema auf die Tagesordnung: Cannabis. Während unsere Wirtschaft schrumpft und dringend einen Turnaround braucht, beschäftigt man sich mit ideologischen Angriffen auf Konsumenten. Absurd und an der Realität vorbei.
— Kristine Lütke MdB (@kristine_lutke) November 15, 2024
Nevertheless, these latest developments are a cause for concern, even as Germany hosted a meeting this week with other European nations to discuss their individual experiences with cannabis legalisation efforts.
The CanG bill was passed into law on the 1st of April, 2024, removed cannabis from Germant’s list of narcotics, effectively decriminalising the possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis for adults and cultivation at private properties, and giving the go-ahead for the formation of cannabis cultivation associations or “cannabis clubs”. However, while possession and cultivation are now semi-legal, the opening of cannabis clubs has been slower than many had hoped.
What could this mean for consumers?
It may be unlikely that a new right-wing German government would aim to repeal the CanG bill altogether; however, the current political fallout could have significant implications for future reform plans. While the first phase of cannabis reforms has already been introduced, the second phase – which was expected to see the launch of Switzerland-style adult-use pilot projects across the country – could be halted.
The CDU, alongside other right-leaning parties, has been critical of the coalition government’s cannabis policies in recent years. They have argued that the legalisation of cannabis possession – particularly with the absence of regulated retailers – has inadvertently benefited the black market. But instead of accelerating the opening of cannabis clubs and the initiation of pilot adult-use programmes, it is likely a CDU-led coalition would aim to pare back existing reforms.
Many cannabis advocates and consumers hoped the schemes would eventually lead to the introduction of licensed adult-use cannabis dispensaries. However, with the announced pilot projects scheduled to run for five years, this was always going to be a long-term possibility. The question now is whether these plans will go ahead at all.
