Bad conversations with Chancellor
Craft president prefers two ministers to Scholz
May 11, 2024, 8:18 p.m
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In principle, he considers Scholz to be an intelligent man, says crafts president Dittrich. But in discussions he doesn’t feel taken seriously by the Chancellor. However, it is easy to talk to two ministers from his traffic light coalition. Scholz denies the allegations.
Crafts President Jörg Dittrich expressed clear criticism of Chancellor Olaf Scholz personally in an interview with the Editorial Network Germany. “The assessment of the economic situation by the Federal Chancellor and the leading business associations differs significantly. And that is of course a problem,” says Dittrich to the RND.
If the analysis is so far apart, we will come to different conclusions about what measures are necessary, the craft president continued. “The economy and the head of government should have a common view of where businesses and companies are struggling and where their problems lie in everyday operations. That has always been a strength in the past,” emphasized Dittrich.
Dittrich said that he generally considers Scholz to be an intelligent man who understands the economic context. “But it gives me the impression that he doesn’t take what companies and businesses are currently expressing as concerns and fears at face value.” This is also shown by the Chancellor’s request not to badmouth the situation. “It is the hard facts that are causing this great concern for many entrepreneurs. The Chancellor should take this seriously,” demanded Dittrich.
“The mood in the trade is bad”
The challenges and problems for the economy caused by the energy transition, green transformation, ailing infrastructure, slow digitalization and a shortage of skilled workers are huge, complained the master roofer. “It’s not enough to say: Wait until the ECB lowers interest rates and everything will be fine again. I’m telling you: it won’t be.” The discussions with Finance Minister Christian Lindner and Economics Minister Robert Habeck are currently “much more in-depth” because there is a common assessment of the pressure to act.
Dittrich said he rejected the Chancellor’s statement that the lawsuit was “the merchant’s song.” “I’m a master craftsman and not a businessman, I told that directly to the Chancellor when he put it that way at the craft fair in Munich. Believe me: I really don’t enjoy standing on the side of the road as a reminder. I feel in “I’m not comfortable with this role. But I have to take on it at the moment because the facts now confirm the perceived perception in the trade.” Many craft businesses are currently expecting declining sales and are worried about their future, says Dittrich. “The mood in the trades is really anything but good – it’s bad.”
Scholz defended himself against criticism from business and rejected the accusation from trade president Jörg Dittrich that the Chancellor did not take the concerns of entrepreneurs and companies at face value. “That’s not true,” said Scholz at the “RND on Site” stage talk organized by the Germany editorial network in Potsdam. His government is doing a lot to support the economy. “We have just brought a massive relief package for the economy through the Bundestag and Bundesrat,” said Scholz, referring to the traffic light “Growth Opportunities Act”.
Scholz sees opportunity in semiconductor companies
Scholz admitted that companies are currently migrating. But new ones are also being added, said the Chancellor. “We are probably becoming the largest semiconductor location in Europe,” he said. “After everything was almost exclusively in Asia and America for a long time, major investments are now coming to Europe – and almost all of these investments are taking place in Germany,” emphasized Scholz.
Scholz admitted that he was also sometimes annoyed by the appearance of the traffic light coalition. However, some disputes have their origins in the fact that the government is tackling problems that have lain dormant for years. “All necessary decisions have been made,” said Scholz. “Just as 20 years of standstill in migration policy have been resolved, we have now overcome 20 years of standstill in removing barriers to growth,” said the Chancellor. “We will continue because we need speed,” announced Scholz. “We have built up bureaucratic rules in Germany over decades with great love and care, and they have to go,” he emphasized. “And if that means constantly bickering, then it’s better for us to bicker rather than remain idle.”