Chancellor Scholz spoke at a public discussion about reducing bureaucracy. He also sees himself as the most business-friendly chancellor in ages.
From Olaf Scholz’s (SPD) perspective, the reduction in bureaucracy for the economy is progressing better than it has for a long time. The Chancellor said on Saturday at a citizen’s discussion in his constituency in Potsdam: “There has never been as much reduction in bureaucracy as in the last two years – and by a huge margin.”
He mentioned acceleration measures, for example for new railway lines and motorway routes, as well as a simplification in construction law, which is now being achieved. Approval for a wind turbine takes far too long, said Scholz. “If every cell tower takes two to four years, that’s crazy.”
The Chancellor referred to the reform of the Federal Emissions Control Act, which is to be passed next week. The point is that “huge quantities of plant approvals” were quicker. The new law aims to make it possible to build wind turbines and industrial plants more quickly in the future – among other things through more digitalization and the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles.
When asked about dealing with the economy in a public conversation, Scholz said: “I am the most business-friendly Chancellor in ages.” In contrast to many others, he is also interested in the economy. Germany is now struggling with weakening world trade. “We also have to bear the risk” that global economic activity will go up and down, said the Chancellor. In addition, the federal government is addressing workforce security, reducing bureaucracy and, for example, advancing electromobility in the face of climate change. “We have to make it so that we are an industrial country – but without C02 emissions by 2045. Our companies can do that and (…) mostly they know how to do it.”
There are discords between the leading business associations and Chancellor Scholz. The Chancellor accused the economy of badmouthing the situation – he points to falling inflation, falling energy costs, high employment and progress, for example, in the expansion of renewable energies. Companies in Germany do not expect a strong economic recovery any time soon.
Scholz spoke in a relaxed atmosphere for more than an hour and a half with around 100 citizens in Potsdam who asked him questions. Many of them ended up having photos taken with the Chancellor, who himself lives in the Brandenburg state capital.
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