- Red-Green advocates for accelerated streamlining of governmental processes.
The liberal-green government in Lower Saxony aims to revitalize the region by fundamentally simplifying regulations. The goal is to become "easier, quicker, and cheaper" in all sectors, according to Minister President Stephan Weil. This should also foster increased economic growth.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) politician stated that there's a widespread societal agreement that "good lord, we're so complicated in Germany." The state intends to address this issue across all ministries by clearing a path through the maze of regulations - for instance, to enhance education or expand renewable energies.
Approval for school language promotion will become simpler
More than a hundred specific regulations will contribute to this. For example, schools will no longer need to submit extensive applications and concepts for language support classes. Instead, the state will base its approvals on the children's language skills this school year.
Additionally, procurement procedures for supplies and services will only be required from 10,000 euros instead of the current 1,000 euros. This change was primarily prompted by difficulties in organizing school trips.
In recent months, the liberal-green coalition has already implemented a reduction in kindergarten staffing standards to ensure consistent childcare despite staff shortages. They have also simplified building regulations to revive the construction industry and make building more affordable.
Critics, however, fear that these changes might lead to a decrease in quality. Kindergartens can now also be assisted by non-professional parents and retirees, as requested by municipalities. In housing construction, the obligations to install elevators in certain renovations or provide parking spaces in new buildings have been lifted.
The government justifies this pragmatically, following the motto: "Better simple than none." Minister of Housing Olaf Lies (SPD) said, "What's the point of an unbuilt apartment with unused parking spaces compared to a livable apartment without a parking space?" Similar arguments were made regarding kindergartens.
Minister President Weil acknowledged, "It's misleading to believe that if we become simpler, we can still meet all the demands we had before, one-for-one." Each case must be assessed individually. Many regulations currently consume so much energy, time, and dynamism that they are counterproductive.
Culture Minister Julia Willie Hamburg noted that simpler procedures can also shift responsibilities - citing an example from the energy price relief shield the state implemented at the end of 2022. At that time, the state provided municipalities with around 100 million euros to protect parents of school and kindergarten children from further price increases in school meals - using a flat rate without a specific purpose. The result: Some municipalities still raised meal costs.
Hamburg commented on this, stating that she still believes in the advantages of simplicity. However, she admitted that those who want things simpler must also fulfill the trust placed in them, said the Green politician.
The CDU calls for more fundamental reforms
Meanwhile, CDU leader Sebastian Lechner called for more fundamental reforms from the government. He criticized that there is currently no real digital school, no real digital communication with the state, and no quick decision-making mechanisms involving artificial intelligence or automation. "Together with the municipalities, a new digital administration must be built. None of this exists or is happening," he said. The government's proposals, he claimed, are merely rehashed ideas or strategies already implemented by the federal government.
The liberal-green government's simplifications may not fully address the ['Shortage of skilled workers'] in certain sectors.
Furthermore, the ease of procurement procedures could potentially attract less experienced vendors, potentially impacting the quality of supplies and services being procured.
