- Günther: Germany needs hope for the future again
Daniel Günther, Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein, urges a general shift in sentiment in Germany. "We must instill more optimism about the future in people," the CDU politician told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, looking ahead to next year's federal election. "This positive attitude has unfortunately been lost in recent years. Politicians should not advance pessimistically with their heads down, but rather inspire confidence."
The united appearance of the men's football national team at this summer's European Championship serves as a role model for Günther. "We've seen what's possible when everyone pulls together at the football matches of the German team." He found the words of national coach Julian Nagelsmann after the elimination to be refreshing. "We must put positive things back in the spotlight."
Coalition Options
According to Günther, the Union should not make any coalition statements during the federal election campaign. "I would not advise my party to run a coalition campaign at the federal level in any way," said Günther. "Black-Green works well in Schleswig-Holstein because people here work together in trust. That's the basic prerequisite for any coalition." Only then do three-party alliances work. Günther governed with a coalition of CDU, Greens, and FDP until 2022.
"The current federal government has unfortunately contributed to a significant loss of trust in politics. This applies to all parties in the traffic light coalition, none of the coalition partners can be exempted from this," said Günther.
"We must campaign clearly differentiated from the traffic light policy. In the end, CDU/CSU must be able to form a coalition with all democratic parties," said Günther. "That's why the Greens are of course also potential coalition partners."
Günther wishes for less bureaucracy
"The policy of the future federal government must focus on ensuring that Germany is successful in competition and that performance is given higher value," said Günther. Germany has every chance of continued success and creating prosperity for all. "But that only works if sleeves are rolled up, if one is ready to promote a positive image of entrepreneurship, reduce bureaucracy, and accelerate all processes."
"Our greatest challenge remains speed: We need fewer regulations and more trust in the actions and self-responsibility of companies, so that they continue to want to do business in Germany," said Günther. "We must also qualify people coming to us more, reduce hurdles for their entry into the labor market, and actively recruit skilled and labor workers from abroad."
The debt brake should be reformed
"The debt brake is fundamentally correct," said Günther. However, an adjustment is necessary. "If we take out an emergency loan in Schleswig-Holstein, it must be used within the fiscal year. How is that supposed to work if there's a severe storm surge in the Baltic Sea only in October? It's not possible to immediately switch back to a normal household situation in the following years after an emergency," said Günther.
The Minister President, Daniel Günther, believes that the CDU should take inspiration from the optimism shown by the men's football national team, as their united performance during the European Championship demonstrates the power of working together with a positive attitude. Furthermore, Günther expresses hope for a future federal government that focuses on reducing bureaucracy, promoting entrepreneurship, and fostering a positive image of business, which he believes is key to Germany's continued success and prosperity.
