- The FDP leader advocates for an economic boost in the northern region.
State Parliament Faction Leader of the FDP in Schleswig-Holstein, Christopher Vogt, voiced his concerns about the state's economic growth. He stated to the German Press Agency, "We're currently on a path to turning Schleswig-Holstein into the state of deindustrialization." Coalition leader Daniel Günther (CDU) aims to make the northernmost federal state the first climate-neutral state, as the Minister-President.
Vogt mentioned a Liberal report on the state's economic status. According to the state government's report, the state's performance decreased by 1.1 percentage points compared to the previous year, taking inflation into account. "In the state ranking, Schleswig-Holstein is on par with Hamburg, surpassing Saxony-Anhalt and Rhineland-Palatinate, and is among the ten states showing a decline in GDP," the report noted.
The state needs a boost
"We're in the group of states where the economic situation isn't exactly sunny. This should prompt a shift in economic policy thinking at the state government level," Vogt argued. The state is at risk of lagging behind in infrastructure, settlement, and economic power. "The black-green balance in economic policy hasn't been great so far. We need to see a lot more action." Vogt added that the direction of transport policy is actually moving towards cuts.
Above all, not enough is happening in settlement policy, Vogt pointed out. While the battery factory of Swedish company Northvolt's establishment is good news, progress has been slow since then. "The government's promised project office still doesn't exist. No action is taking place in the area of infrastructure, as far as I can tell," he mentioned. It's essential to designate commercial and industrial areas to facilitate future settlements following Northvolt's project.
Vogt expressed his opposition to the current state of economic policy, saying, "I'm not going to sit idly by as Schleswig-Holstein continues to struggle economically." He suggested that the state government should reconsider its approach, advocating for more action in settlement policy and infrastructure development.
