German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday reiterated the need to press ahead with his reform agenda, citing the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles, the digitalization of public administration, and reforms to social security systems.
– “We invest in rebuilding and modernizing our infrastructure and our defense capabilities,” Merz said in an address to business leaders at the Invest in Germany summit on Monday evening, with closed-door talks to continue on Tuesday.
– “Germany is embarking on the biggest modernization drive in its recent history. In the coming years we are on top of our annual efforts, channeling half a billion euros into rebuilding and modernizing our infrastructure as well as into green energy and climate initiatives,” he added, urging investors to take part in this modernization drive.
– Merz also pointed to stepped-up efforts to modernize the country’s military.
– “And we will commit over €500 billion by the end of the decade to strengthen our defensive capacities and modernize our military infrastructure,” he said.
– The chancellor stressed that the reform process is part of “generational challenges to which we must respond with a generational effort.”
– Most Germans say Merz’s reform drive is headed the wrong way, and the conservative leader has fallen to a personal low, a survey published on Oct. 8 found.
– The poll for public broadcaster ZDF found that 59% of respondents believe the coalition’s planned and partly adopted changes to pensions, health care, and long-term care are going in “the wrong direction.”
– Only 30% said the measures are on the right track. Supporters of Merz’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance were the only party camp with a majority in favor, at 66%.
– Most voters were angry about what they saw as an unjust distribution of the costs. Some 80% said the burdens are distributed unfairly, versus 12% who called the distribution fair. On social insurance changes, 77% said they do not believe the government will make important contributions to solving the problems.