Berlin – Which coalition will govern Berlin in the next few years? The exploratory talks have already started. The SPD first met with the Greens and the Left, on Monday it will be the turn of the CDU and FDP. The new Senate is faced with a number of challenges: The coalition will be primarily concerned with housing policy – not least after the successful referendum – in the next legislature. The Berlin economy has clear expectations of politics. We talked about this with Christian Amsink, General Manager of the Berlin-Brandenburg Business Associations (UVB).
Berlin newspaper: Mr Amsinck, the explorations began in Berlin after the House of Representatives election. Most likely, the continuation of Red-Red-Green or a German coalition made up of the SPD, CDU and FDP. Which alliance would the Berlin economy be most interested in?
Christian Amsinck: There are some problem areas where the red-red-green Senate has not delivered. There is pressure to act above all in digitization, the modernization of the administration – this was also shown by the nationwide unique election breakdowns – and in education. I am thinking above all of the educational opportunities for the young generation after the pandemic. For us, the next generation of skilled workers is also important. These construction sites are there, and the next coalition urgently needs to tackle them.
What about the economic damage caused by the corona pandemic? How is the Senate challenged here?
Parts of the economy have been hard hit by the pandemic. Hotels, retailers and restaurants too are still struggling with the consequences. Hopefully the worst is behind us. The task now is to get out of the crisis with momentum. However, the budget situation is tense and Berlin cannot draw on its full potential. The Senate must therefore concentrate on the core issues – digitization, better administration and education. The goal must be to restore economic dynamism and stimulate innovation and investment.
What does that mean in concrete terms: What should the future Senate do, what must it not do?
Better framework conditions are crucial for companies so that they can remain competitive. The administration needs less bureaucracy and more digitization. We have a fundamental problem: Currently, the responsibility for the topic of digitization lies in several departments. It should be bundled in one hand. We brought up the idea of a digital senator. That would also do justice to the importance of the subject. When it comes to schools, we see that funding, for example from the digital pact, is not enough on its own. You also need to arrive on site. It often fails because of money, but because of implementation. In Brandenburg, the digital agency supports the school authorities. That would also be a model for Berlin. The truth is: Berlin spends an above-average amount of money on education, but the results are below average. The need for support among young people would have to be determined much earlier – and not just when the companies are supposed to train them. I would also like the schools to have more autonomy. We need more freedom here too.
Photo: UVB
To person
Christian Amsinck has been managing director of the Berlin-Brandenburg business associations since 2008.
The studied economist was born in 1958, is married and has two children.
His professional career Amsinck began as a speaker at the Federation of German Industries.
So you are fully on the CDU line. Mr. Wegener had expressed himself accordingly in the election campaign.
When construction sites are so obvious, nobody can bet on business as usual and say: All in all, everything is going very well. I keep noticing that there is a lot of interest in Berlin nationwide. The mishaps in the choice cause a great shake of the head. Berlin is not just a municipality. It is the federal capital that has to work, because the citizens want to be proud of it. As far as the parties are concerned: I congratulated Ms. Giffey on her election victory and found that she is very right with her five B’s – affordable housing, education, the best economy, Berlin in security and building. These five issues should also play an important role in the coalition negotiations. The Greens and the FDP have also advanced with the promise of climate-friendly economic activity and modernization. So there is a group of coalition partners who should now sound out how to come together.
A controversial topic in the city is the transport policy. What are you asking for here?
We have repeatedly emphasized how important the mix of modes of transport is. Electromobility will certainly play an even greater role in the future. But we also have to improve public transport, the connections to Brandenburg have to be expanded. And of course we say that commercial traffic is particularly important. It’s not just about delivering to companies or construction sites, care services also rely on the car. So many things have to happen at the same time, all of which are important for the economy.
Another emotional topic is building and the question of how cheap living space can be created. A majority of Berliners voted in favor of the referendum aimed at expropriating large real estate groups. How does the Senate have to deal with it?
That is a democratic vote. A new Senate must determine whether expropriations are constitutionally compatible and financially feasible. It will take time. Therefore, the second important topic must be addressed in parallel: the alliance for affordable housing. Almost all parties want that. It will only be successful with cooperation, not confrontation. The fact is that Berlin continues to be very attractive. If we don’t solve the housing issue, the economy will also have a problem: If the sought-after skilled workers can’t find an apartment here, they won’t come to us either. That would be fatal for the company. Politically, it would be appropriate to put the departments of building, urban development and transport in one hand – as it used to be. The last coalition sometimes blocked itself by splitting these powers.
The Berlin economy must become climate neutral. How can this transformation succeed?
The topic also plays a major role at the federal level. This is where the framework is set. But of course we are also committed to the climate goals on site. What we need is a climate policy that is coordinated across departments. Because – keyword building renovation and moderate rent policy – there are always conflicting goals. We rely on innovations, technology openness and, in the case of energy supply, also on closer cooperation with Brandenburg. Right at the top for us is that we have to think the issues of climate protection and the future of industry together. Berlin has a lot of potential in the industry of tomorrow – but we can only leverage that with competitive energy prices.
The question arises of how much public funding is needed for the climate-neutral transformation of the economy. The SPD has already announced that it will launch a large investment program. Is this a good idea?
The debt brake should not be up for discussion. But of course there are areas that need to be invested in. You can do that without breaking the debt brake. But what we must not forget: The state of the public finances is tense after Corona. The Finance Senator himself says that there is a shortfall of 1.5 billion euros in the budget. This means that the expansion of services must be subject to strict financing conditions. We have to look very carefully at which areas we are investing in. The climate-friendly restructuring of the economy is of course part of it.
A final question: Berlin has developed splendidly in recent years, the city’s GDP is increasing the nationwide GDP, Dax companies have settled here. What part does the red-red-green Senate have in this development?
I don’t give school grades. But: The fact that the GDP of the capital of Europe’s largest economy is slightly above the national average is no fame. In many other countries, the capital is the economic driving force. To be fair, it has to be said that there are historical reasons why this is not the case in the case of Berlin. But of course we are happy about the positive development over the last ten years, the many new jobs. Berlin is very attractive, especially for young people. That is why the subject of living is so important. We cannot rest on our successes – whether at universities or start-ups. We are still a long way from reaching our goal. The city can do more when it finally makes headway with the many construction sites. The new Senate urgently needs to devote itself to this.
The questions were asked by Fabian Hartmann and Elmar Schütze.
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