Government - Dreyer: Biotechnology is my passion topic
The achievements in biotechnology are a highlight of my eleven-year tenure as Rhineland-Palatinate's Minister-President, Malu Dreyer (SPD) stated to the German Press Agency in Mainz. "We have something really special in our country that has made a breakthrough worldwide through the vaccine," the outgoing government head commented. This is a focus area for the government. "Personally, as Minister-President, I have invested a lot of energy into it. It's a passion of mine."
The development of biotechnology in Rhineland-Palatinate is going well, looks to the future, and is not yet complete. "I'm very proud of that," Dreyer emphasized. "Both in the scientific and settlement sectors, we still have a lot to accomplish, and there's still a lot of potential."
Many large biotechnology companies in Rhineland-Palatinate
Mainz is the headquarters of the Corona vaccine manufacturer BioNTech. In the Rhineland-Palatinate state capital, there was also recently a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for a production site of the US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. The company is investing around 2.3 billion Euros there in a production site for injectable medicines.
She is also proud that Rhineland-Palatinate has remained a "Land of Cohesion," said the Minister-President. "I have always valued working to ensure that this land stays together - regardless of whether there are different religions or people of different origins, young or old." The Bridge Prize of the state stands symbolically for that.
"We remain an industrial land and we will weather the transformation."
The ways for the transformation in Rhineland-Palatinate were also described as a great success by the outgoing government head in her balance. In cooperation with the employer associations and the unions, there was always a clear goal: "We remain an industrial land, and we will weather the transformation." A personal concern during her tenure was to make the country future-proof and hold society together, Dreyer said.
A turning point was the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley
A turning point was the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley. "There is a before and after the flood for me," she said. She has great empathy for the affected people and still feels a great deal of pain from the events. The rebuilding is progressing, and the state government is still investing a lot in it.
During the flood in mid-July 2021, in Rhineland-Palatinate, 136 people had lost their lives, of whom 135 were in the Ahr region and one in the Trier area. One person is still missing. In neighboring North Rhine-Westphalia, 49 people died in the flood due to extreme rainfall. Thousands of houses were destroyed, roads and bridges were washed away. Schools and kindergartens were also affected.
Even successes can be acknowledged
The cohesion in the coalition with the Greens and the FDP was based on a lot of communication and the ability to acknowledge each other's achievements, Dreyer said in her balance. She is convinced that her successor, Alexander Schweitzer (SPD), will also set great store by this intensive communication with his own style. Schweitzer was also present at the coalition negotiations and had previously been SPD parliamentary group leader before becoming Labor and Social Affairs Minister.
The 63-year-old announced her resignation a few days ago, stating that she no longer has sufficient energy for the office of Minister-President. Her 50-year-old successor is expected to be elected in the coming Wednesday in the Landtag in Mainz. The future Minister-President has already announced that he intends to hold on to the coalition government in the state after his election as head of government. He also aims for a government alliance with the Greens and the FDP after the state election in 2026.
Call him, but not publicly express
Dreyer will not give her successor good tips on how to handle the office affairs, she emphasized. "Alexander Schweitzer can rely on that. He can call me anytime. But I will not express myself publicly."
- Malu Dreyer praised the developments in biotechnology in Rhineland-Palatinate, highlighting the success of companies like BioNTech in Mainz and the upcoming Eli Lilly production site.
- As Minister-President, Dreyer has invested a significant amount of energy into biotechnology, considering it a personal passion.
- The German Press Agency reported on Dreyer's statements about her eleven-year tenure, focusing on the achievements in biotechnology.
- Furthermore, Dreyer emphasized the potential for growth and progress in both scientific and settlement sectors of biotechnology in Rhineland-Palatinate.
- The Ahr Valley flood disaster marked a turning point for Dreyer, who expressed empathy for the affected people and continued investing in the rebuilding process.
- Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, also has a significant presence in Mainz, contributing to the biotechnology sector.
- Dreyer acknowledged the cohesion in her coalition with the Greens and FDP, attributing its success to effective communication and mutual acknowledgment of achievements.
- Her successor, Alexander Schweitzer, also shares the SPD's commitment to biotechnology and aims to sustain the coalition after his election as Minister-President.
- Despite her resignation as Minister-President, Dreyer expressed availability to help her successor privately, but declined to give public advice on handling office affairs.
