Employer President Dulger sharply criticized the traffic light government. Above all, the high energy costs and bureaucratic hurdles were a heavy burden. At the Employers’ Day, he called for concrete measures and programs for the economy.
The gap between the federal government and the economy is wide. At the employers’ day in Berlin, employers’ president Rainer Dulger sharply criticized the traffic light coalition and called on them to do more for Germany as a business location. Concrete actions are now required, said Dulger. “A targeted reduction in bureaucracy is a free economic stimulus program.”
The worries run deep. According to a Forsa survey, 82 percent of entrepreneurs see the location as being in danger. The reasons given include high energy prices and a lack of skilled workers. Companies need planning security in order to be able to set the right course in their own operations: “The location conditions are no longer right,” says Dulger.
Long wish list from employers
The list of demands is long. According to the survey, 70 percent of companies are calling for improvements in the education system, 85 percent for a reduction in bureaucracy, and 69 percent for modernization and digitalization of administration. The traffic light’s climate policy is also not well received by employers.
In an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” in the run-up to the summit, Dulger emphasized that he believes it is wrong to accept a dying economy as collateral damage in order to achieve climate protection goals. “If the economy is doing worse, then that weakens the welfare state,” said the association president.
Scholz promises “Germany speed”
In his speech at the Employers’ Day, Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised improvements at all levels of government. “We need Germany’s speed everywhere when it comes to state decisions, actions and planning,” said the SPD politician, alluding to the rapid development of the infrastructure for liquid gas.
Scholz was confident that the federal and state governments could make far-reaching decisions to accelerate planning and approvals at their meeting on November 6th. Representatives from both sides are currently negotiating where regulations could be deleted. Final decisions should then be made at the top-level meeting between Scholz and the 16 Prime Ministers.