2023-09-07 14:48:32
Was that a subtle criticism of the Chancellor? When Robert Habeck (Greens) came to the lectern in the Bundestag on Thursday, he demonstratively took his time until he got to the word that was being discussed so much at the moment. First of all, the Economics Minister listed what, in his view, are the reasons for Germany’s “economic weakness”.
The loss of Russian gas, China is no longer just “the nice trading partner”. There are also structural problems. Then the time had come: “Let me briefly talk about the bureaucracy and the Germany Pact,” Habeck began – only to put the topic away again straight away: “We’ve already been doing it for a long time.”
“Practical checks” are being carried out with North Rhine-Westphalia to make it easier to set up a business, and with Baden-Württemberg on faster expansion of renewable energies. Even if he wanted less complacency, Habeck was convinced that the “spirit of cooperation with the states and the social partners” already exists. Germany is a “highly interesting location” for foreign investors, the “defeatist badmouthing of Germany as a location” doesn’t help.
“Mildew from bureaucracy, risk aversion and despondency”
The day before with the Chancellor it had sounded a little different. In his speech during the budget debate, Olaf Scholz (SPD) also mentioned the “more than 80 billion euros” that companies are investing in this country according to the list of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. At the same time, Scholz complained about a “mildew of bureaucracy, risk aversion and despondency” that has spread over the country in recent years. His proposal, on the other hand, was the “Germany Pact”, a joint effort by states, municipalities and the opposition to modernize the country. Specifically: to accelerate approval processes, to digitize administration, to support companies.
Habeck has been trying for some time to at least give the many bad economic news a positive outlook. On Thursday, however, he came across new figures from the Federal Statistical Office that were anything but good. Companies reduced their production in July for the third month in a row. Industry, construction and energy suppliers together produced 0.8 percent less than in the previous month. Economists had expected a smaller decline. LBBW analyst Jens-Oliver Niklasch spoke of a “persistent economic decline”.
After Habeck, Jens Spahn (CDU), the Union parliamentary group leader responsible for the economy, spoke in the Bundestag. “You really live in a different world, Minister,” he replied to Habeck’s situation report. The only thing that is growing in Germany is unemployment and bankruptcies. “What are we actually talking about with this German pact?” asked Spahn. What the Chancellor presented on Wednesday was a “bonsai pact, a list of projects on which you have not made any progress for months”.
A comment from Jasper von Altenbockum Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 370 Friederike Haupt, Berlin Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 2 Published/Updated: Published/Updated: Recommendations: 16
He proposed three pacts: one for growth through lower taxes, especially on energy. A “pact for performance and hard work” that limits social spending to 40 percent and reforms citizens’ money. And finally a pact “for secure borders and against illegal migration”. Spahn concluded his list of demands with the words: “Finally do your job.” Frank Junge from the SPD parliamentary group, however, took Habeck’s side: “I can’t see a horror scenario like you might like,” he said Direction from Spahn.
Employer President hopes for action instead of announcements
The associations were also busy on Thursday working through the Chancellor’s latest word creation. And to find out what actually distinguishes this from the ten-point plan that Scholz presented during the cabinet meeting in Meseberg. Employer President Rainer Dulger welcomed the promised modernization offensive. “With the announced Germany Pact, the federal government is finally waking up,” he told the “Rheinische Post”.
However, announcements are not actions. Digitalization must be consistently implemented at all levels. The Association of Cities and Municipalities, however, criticized that there were no new approaches. “You have to be honest, this is old wine in new bottles,” said managing director Gerd Landsberg on WDR.
A first “practical check” for the Germany Pact could take place at the end of September, when the federal government, states and associations want to discuss ways out of the housing crisis at a construction summit. Then it will also be about the “Pact for Accelerating Planning, Approval and Implementation”, for which the federal and state governments formally began discussions – more than a year ago.
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