Economy
CDU General Secretary wants an Agenda 2030 for Germany
Carsten Linnemann thinks that Germany needs a change in mentality. photo
© Britta Pedersen/dpa
Bad economy, high inflation: CDU General Secretary Linnemann feels reminded of the late 1990s. His answer to today’s problems is reminiscent of the solution from back then.
“We are not only the sick man of Europe, but according to the International Monetary Fund the sick man of the world,” said Linnemann. The IMF had forecast that the Federal Republic would be the only country in the world among the major industrialized countries whose economy would shrink this year. “All other countries are growing.” The Union has already presented an emergency program in the form of a five-point plan. “But that’s not enough. It needs an overall concept and we will present that in the next few weeks.”
“First of all, we need liquidity. The Law on Growth Opportunities that the finance minister wants to introduce is largely correct,” said Linnemann. Energy prices must also be reduced as quickly as possible. In order to tackle the problem of skilled workers, hundreds of thousands of people who are about to retire should then be able to earn additional income tax-free – for example 2000 euros a month. Linnemann also suggested experimenting and allowing counties in Germany to cut red tape and over-regulation for two years.
Link to Agenda 2010
“We urgently need a change in mentality here in Germany,” explained Linnemann. “Unfortunately, today we are in the same situation as in the late 1990s, when Roman Herzog then gave the “Ruck Speech” here not far from the Adenauer House. This Ruck, this Ruck 2.0, Germany needs it now.”
The CDU politician thus continued the Agenda 2010 announced in March 2003 by then Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD), with which the red-green federal government then reformed the labor market and the social system in Germany. As early as April 1997, then-Federal President Roman Herzog lamented the loss of economic momentum, the paralysis of society and an “incredible mental depression” in Germany in a speech, and demanded: “Germany must be jolted.”
Linnemann accused the federal government and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) of not having a plan to deal with the current problems. “I no longer expect a great vision from him, but at least an idea of how Germany can be better positioned in the next three to five years.”