Merkel’s Cabinet aids troubled coal regions days before election

Days before crucial elections in states impacted by Germany’s shift away from coal, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet approved a draft law that would distribute massive spending for the ailing communities.

The draft law presented by the Economy Ministry regulates how to disburse funds to areas hardest hit by the shrinking coal industry. In May, Merkel’s cabinet approved €40-billion in financing over the next two decades.