German government puts off vote on a contentious heating plan until September

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s governing coalition has put off until September a vote on contentious legislation to encourage the replacement of fossil fuel heating systems after the country’s top court shot down plans to push it through parliament this week. The Federal Constitutional Court’s last-minute ruling on Wednesday night was awkward for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition, denying it the chance to move on quickly from a lengthy dispute over a central climate policy plan that has dragged it down in polls. The government had hoped to get the legislation passed on Friday. Top coalition lawmakers conferred Thursday and then announced they would seek a vote in early September. They rejected the idea of a special parliamentary session during the summer break.