Recently, Bavaria’s Digital Minister Judith Gerlach (CSU) caused quite a stir. Then she released a video in which she appeared with cabaret artist Wolfgang Krebs in the role of Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (FW). This Aiwanger is struggling with a fax machine, plus the usual dialect mockery, “Opfelsoft”, hihihi. The young head of department, on the other hand, was able to praise the benefits of digital administration and her contribution to it. Done on April 1st, probably to avoid resentment. Gerlach is undoubtedly busy in her office, digital strategy 2030, digital agency and digital council, projects such as digital town hall or digital pilots. It’s just that the political Munich doesn’t exactly hold its breath with all this. For many, it’s a “there’s something else” ministry: small team, little influence, meager budget.
The budget was due for approval in the state parliament on Thursday, as the last individual item of the three-day plenary session. The opposition made the approval of the good 120 million euros a fundamental debate about the ministry. First, Gerhard Hopp (CSU), rapporteur on the budget committee, called the training “think tank and strategy ministry”, a “start-up in the state government”, the establishment of which was “pioneering” for the pandemic. Benjamin Adjei (Greens) replied where Hopp was in the Corona period, for example schools. The Ministry of Culture has “no desire to digitize”, in the administration the government “only does what is really necessary”. Gerd Mannes (AfD) saw “ideology” as climate protection cheated into the budget instead of good conditions for companies. Annette Karl (SPD) called the house a “bad design” that “has to build a cathedral out of church towers”, Helmut Kaltenhauser (FDP) complained that Gerlach was dependent on the “grace” of other departments if she wanted to have a say. The minister defended herself: It’s about “lighthouses” and sparking passion for digital topics, she pulls the strings together, her “small but fine” team wants to “tick and drive”. You don’t have to extract anything from other ministries for this.
The departmental budget was then decided by the CSU, with the votes of the FW. Even if their MP Gerald Pittner had to add that the “April Fool’s joke” about Aiwanger could definitely be considered “childish”.