Special funds: Prime Minister Lies: Invested billions quickly

Before the first federal-state summit with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Lower Saxony’s new Prime Minister Olaf Lies penetrates a rapid implementation of the special funds that are difficult for billions. “Our goal is to make the measures visible very quickly,” said the SPD politician of the German Press Agency in Hanover. “People don’t want to hear from us what we do in 2036. They expect us to say what we do in 2026 or 2027 and then want to see improvements.”

In Lower Saxony, Lies wants to herald an investment offensive with the special funds financed by debt. “We will invest where something has to improve for the people on site,” he announced. This applies to the municipalities when it comes to schools and sports, but also for the country. Accordingly, road construction and measures to adapt to climate change should play a major role, for example in flood protection.

“It is important that we focus on measures that can be implemented as quickly as possible,” said Lies. “Money does not build a bridge, money does not build a road. That is why we are intensively discussing with the federal government about the period in which time we can implement the 100 billion euros for countries and municipalities.”

Lower Saxony demands lower electricity prices

Lies, who succeeded Stephan Weil in mid-May, held the CO chair for the Prime Ministers’ Conference for Lower Saxony until autumn. According to him, the meeting with Merz in the coming week should also be a reduction in electricity prices. “It will have to come very quickly,” said Lies. It will also be about how complicated procedural regulations can be accelerated.

“We now have a short time window of a few years in which we can prove how successfully we can advance this country. In the end, this will be the question of which we are measured,” said Lies.