The Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock promised a climate government after the federal election, the FDP is talking about a policy change, and a “new start” was at the SZ economic summit Süddeutsche Zeitung negotiated this week in Berlin. After numerous conversations at all levels, one can sum up: The will to start over after the last 16 crippling years of Merkel can be felt everywhere. Perhaps least of all with the likely next head of government Olaf Scholz (SPD) himself, who – in keeping with his temperament – remains cautious, one could also say: without ambition.
But it vibrates with the Greens and the FDP, in different ways and for different topics – how could it be otherwise. The FDP wants to distinguish itself as the guardian of state finances, but also as a driver of digitization. The Greens continue to be associated primarily with their core topic of climate change, which is clearly under-demanding of the top staff in terms of their aspirations.
What is striking is the benevolence with which the company representatives view the political game. No comparison with the situation four years ago, when the economy was downright shocked by the failure of the Jamaica negotiations between the Union, FDP and the Greens and the gagging of the then inevitably established grand coalition was commented on with a mixture of ridicule and anger.
The Greens are no longer an economic scare
The Greens in particular can enjoy a constellation that is unusual for them. If they were long considered an economic shock, they, and especially their top duo Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck, are met with a lot of sympathy today. The fact that Baerbock was briefly in pole position during the election campaign and even the Chancellery was close is almost forgotten. The Greens are perceived and accepted as the clear number two. There are also many expectations associated with this.
Above all, the core concern of the Greens is accepted in many management levels: that the German economy must be restructured ecologically. One can even say: Many companies are already further ahead than politicians, they are trimming their business models for more sustainability – for ecological reasons, but also because they smell business. And now they want political support.
An example for many is the Deutsche Post. The globally active and record-breaking logistician contributes to the pollution of the climate with hundreds of cargo planes and plans several billion euros to fill up with environmentally friendly fuel – if it were offered in sufficient quantities around the world. The demands on politicians are urgent to enable more green electricity.
Another example is the 2 Grad Foundation, which the retail entrepreneur Michael Otto founded many years ago together with other large companies and which is becoming increasingly popular. On Wednesday it propagated an implementation campaign for climate neutrality in Berlin. Like other organizations and associations, the foundation intervenes in the coalition negotiations with position papers and formulates clear political goals, including for more ecological infrastructure: wind farms, solar cells, power lines.
The state wants to enable
Politicians, on the other hand, accept this challenge, they do not even try the “blame game” (“You guys do something!”), But recognizes that they now have to deliver. The only discussion left – also between the potential government partners – is how the relationship between rules and prohibitions, tax incentives and the creation of a framework should be.
There is much to suggest that the state is concentrating above all on making it possible, for example to shorten procedures and reduce bureaucracy, and to provide generous financial support for future technologies. Because unlike in the past, the economy does not have to be forced to invest in sustainability as a whole, it wants to invest – if it is able to. A new coalition that sees itself as a reform and turnaround project cannot get any better starting conditions. You must not gamble away this chance now.