General debate in the Bundestag: Scholz wants to speed up the “Germany Pact”.

With a “Germany Pact” Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wants to get the economy going again and make the country faster, more modern and safer. The SPD politician today invited states, municipalities and the opposition, with the exception of the AfD, to participate in a package of measures to speed up approval procedures, digitize administration and support companies.

“We need a national effort. So let’s join forces,” said Scholz in the general debate in the Bundestag. “Speed ​​instead of standing still, action instead of sitting around, cooperation instead of quarreling. That’s the order of the day.”

However, countries and the opposition reacted rather skeptically to the advance, sometimes even irritated. The head of the CSU state group, Alexander Dobrindt, was open to talks, but made it a condition that the traffic light partners SPD, FDP and Greens come to an agreement.

“First end the arguments in your own store,” he said. “Then you can talk about whether you can cooperate with us.” North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) spoke of a “PR gag”. “I feel frankly kidding,” he told the “Rheinische Post”. It is about projects that are already in the pipeline and that the countries have been demanding for a long time.

Second attempt to come off the defensive

In recent weeks, there has been a massive dispute in the coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP, especially about the heating law and basic child security. In surveys, more than two-thirds of Germans are now dissatisfied with the work of the traffic light government. At the cabinet meeting in Meseberg last week, the government tried to turn things around by presenting a 10-point plan for the economy.

The “Germany Pact” is now the second attempt to come off the defensive. Scholz is reacting to stagnating economic growth, inflation, sluggish digitization, partly ailing infrastructure and sprawling bureaucracy in Germany. The British “Economist” recently even asked whether Germany was “the sick man of Europe” again.

One pact, four goals

The Chancellor now wants to take countermeasures with measures in four areas, which are to be worked out by the end of the year:

– Approval procedures are to be accelerated so that, for example, building permits can be issued more easily or masts for high-speed mobile Internet can be erected without any problems.

– Growth and competitiveness of the German economy should be strengthened. Among other things, the tax breaks for companies already approved by the cabinet are to be implemented in the amount of 32 billion euros, but also the founding of start-up companies is to be made easier.

– The administration is to be further digitized. By the end of 2024, important services such as applications for a new driver’s license or identity card or parental and citizen’s allowance should be possible “continuously” online.

– The immigration of skilled workers from abroad is to be further promoted, including through accelerated procedures. At the same time, “irregular” immigration should be better controlled and deportations should be carried out more quickly.

First Scholz bickers with Merz, then he makes advances to him

The goals are not new. What is new, however, is that Scholz is now looking for a broad alliance to implement it. His offer is aimed at the 16 heads of government of the federal states, at the district administrators and mayors throughout the republic. It is also aimed at the “democratic opposition”. The Chancellor means all opposition parties except for the AfD. In the Bundestag these are the CDU, CSU and Die Linke.

Scholz expressly addressed his offer to Friedrich Merz, the chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. Before he made advances to him, the chancellor in the Bundestag first bickered with Merz about the financing of the Bundeswehr. The Chancellor responded to the CDU leader’s accusation that Scholz did not live up to his claims formulated in the “Zeitenwende” speech: “It doesn’t work with the buggers in this republic.” Quite a harsh tone to introduce an offer of cooperation.

Next up is the Germany summit?

In the debate that followed, the Chancellor’s proposal didn’t really catch on either. The faction leaders of the SPD and FDP, Rolf Mützenich and Christian Dürr, backed the initiative. Dobrindt accepted the offer to talk. A real argument about the advance did not develop. In general, the Bundestag has experienced much livelier general debates than this one. Given the rather gloomy economic situation, that’s rather surprising.

It is unclear how things will continue now. How is the pact organized? Is the next step a Germany summit with prime ministers, mayors, district administrators and opposition representatives? What about business associations and unions? Scholz did not include her in his offer to talk, but called on her elsewhere in his speech to pull together.

Memories of the “jerk speech” of 1997

The chancellor’s appearance may have reminded some of the famous “jerk speech” by Federal President Roman Herzog, who demanded in 1997: “A jerk must go through Germany. We must bid farewell to cherished possessions. Everyone is addressed, everyone must make sacrifices , everyone has to participate.”

Like Herzog, Scholz also wants to bring Germany out of its lethargy. “Only together will we shake off the mildew of bureaucracy, risk aversion and despondency that has settled on our country for years, decades,” he said in the Bundestag.

But Herzog’s thrust was different at the time. He prepared Germany for reforms that can also be painful for each individual and that came later with Agenda 2010 of the red-green government of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD). It’s different with Scholz. His speech is about promoting growth and competitiveness, not about demanding sacrifices.

First the “turn of the era”, now the “Germany Pact”

In any case, the second half of the election period now has a title. While in the first two years it was the “turning point” after the Russian attack on Ukraine that resulted in a paradigm shift in German foreign and security policy, now it is the “Germany Pact”. Until the 2025 elections, the main struggle will be how Germany will reposition itself internally.