Despite his jogging accident, the Chancellor opened the IAA in Munich. The auto industry is curious what he says about industrial electricity prices, job security and China.
At the opening of the IAA in Munich on Tuesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised the innovative ability of German car manufacturers and suppliers. “The competitiveness of the auto industry in Germany is beyond question,” said Scholz, referring to the many Chinese automakers who are appearing at the auto show for the first time and now also want to gain a foothold in Germany.
“The weekend also showed me personally: as nice as jogging is, for some routes it’s better to take the car,” said the Chancellor. He fell while jogging and now wears a black eye patch.
After the opening ceremony, Scholz started a two-hour tour of the exhibition halls to see the innovations, especially from German car manufacturers and suppliers. Chinese car manufacturers are not on his agenda, but the Chinese battery manufacturer Catl, which has a plant in Erfurt.
The President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), Hildegard Müller, expressed her concern about Germany as a location and a gradual shift of investments abroad. “We want to invest here. But the conditions have to be right for that,” said Müller. However, taxes, duties and energy prices are no longer competitive internationally, and new regulations are constantly being added from Brussels and Berlin. The US and China, on the other hand, supported their companies and unleashed the forces of innovation with less bureaucracy and more freedom of technology.
The Mayor of Munich Dieter Reiter (SPD) criticized the street blockades by climate activists. Refusing to engage in discussion and exhausting oneself in protests that attract attention from the media is the wrong approach to more climate protection.
The Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) said: “We are committed to the car.” Larger countries like Bavaria are unimaginable without a car. The future of the car should take place in Germany and continue to create prosperity. The reduction in the purchase premiums for e-cars by the federal government is wrong.
Source: Stern
