Germany location: “Germany is back” – Merz wants Allianz with economy

Chancellor Friedrich Merz is looking for a way of the shoulder with the economy with the economy for a way from the long growth weakness for significantly more investments. “Germany is back,” said the CDU politician after a meeting with top managers at a company initiative. “It is worth investing in Germany again.” The corporations promised billions of investments. At the same time, however, they clearly made expectations of politics to dissolve the “reform backlog” and to give companies more freedom.

After the meeting in the Chancellery, Merz said that more public investments could be enormously reinforced by private capital. “We want to raise this potential and thus trigger further growth effects.” Germany threatens a third year in a row without growth, companies recently held back investments due to uncertainties about the economic policy course. Merz campaigned: “We are not a location of the past, but a location of the present and above all the future.”

Bundestag and the Federal Council had decided on a special fund of 500 billion euros for additional state investments in infrastructure and climate protection. It is about getting traffic routes in shape, but also about investing in energy networks, digitization and research. Merz said only part of the necessary investments could be made by the state, a large part had to be done privately. In order for companies to invest more again, politicians had decided on tax relief.

Initiative of companies

The initiative “Made for Germany” initiated by Siemens and Deutsche Bank, among other things, has so far been included in 61 companies in various industries and investment companies. By 2028, companies will promise investments of at least 631 billion euros in Germany. This sum includes both planned and new capital investments, for example in new facilities and expenditure for research and development. Merz spoke of “one of the greatest investment initiatives” of the past decades.

According to the initiative, a three -digit billion dollar amount should be omitted to new investments – but what is specifically planned, the companies did not say.

Managers penetrate better conditions

Deutsche Bank boss Christian Sewing after the conversation in the Chancellery: “We all confess to Germany without any ifs and buts.” Experience “a government that is pace” and at the top of the agenda in growth and competitiveness. Siemens boss Roland Busch spoke of a “new form of cooperation between business and politics”. In order to release the announced billions, politics should regulate less and give companies more freedom.

Merz said the collaboration should continue. The initiative gave the goal of establishing a “solution -oriented dialogue” on central future topics such as digitization, sustainability, innovation, infrastructure and shortage of skilled workers.

In the federal government’s “high-tech agenda”, new technologies “Made in Germany” should again become a trademark of the country. The aim is, for example, to bring European “Ai Gigafactories” to Germany, these are data centers for artificial intelligence. Other key technologies are quantum technologies, microelectronics, biotechnology, climate -neutral energy generation and technologies for climate -neutral mobility.

With a loosening of the debt brake, investments are also to be made in the Bundeswehr. The CEO of the armaments group Rheinmetall AG, Armin Papperger, said that the defense industry would become a real “job engine” for Germany.

Do the social contributions increase?

The labor costs are an important location factor. The metal and electrical industry therefore reminded in parallel to the summit that in their view, the social security contributions should downhill. “In any case, there may be no further increases from January 1, 2026.” Due to higher costs, health insurance contributions had only increased on a broad front at the beginning of the year, and employers pay half.

Acute also threatens new increases in long -term care insurance for 2026. The 2025 draft budget provides for financial injections, but they are not enough. In order to close gaps, the budget consultations in the Bundestag still have to be improved. Merz himself had given the goal: “I would like to achieve stabilization in this election period.” How reforms of social insurance look exactly and when exactly they come is open. There are conflicts with the coalition partner SPD, for example about savings in the citizens’ allowance.

Location in industries further difficult

The employers’ association total metal was not in sight in sight. With regard to the continued decline in employment, general manager Oliver Zander said that the conditions at the Germany location should be improved. The federal government has no time for breaks. “After the summer break, further and more profound reforms urgently need to be launched – especially in bureaucracy and in the field of social security.”

FDP boss Christian Dürr said that for the required economic turn there is no short-term PR event with selected groups: “Instead of only meeting with individual bosses of large companies, the Chancellor should focus on the entire range of the economy.”