Thirty-five years following German reunification, Reiner Haseloff, Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt, is advocating for fundamental reforms across the nation. In an interview with “Stern” magazine, Haseloff emphasized the need for a “new fundamental adjustment” for Germany, expressing concern that the country’s perceived strength has diminished. He noted that East Germans, 35 years ago, placed their faith in the system’s capacity for self-renewal, but that trust has waned along with a decline in Germany’s overall performance.
Haseloff, Germany’s longest-serving Minister President, highlighted a disparity between the nation’s comprehensive social welfare programs and its economic standing. He pointed to a perceived erosion of the “Made in Germany” reputation, questioning its automatic association with quality. “We have the most comfortable welfare state in the world” he stated, “but we are no longer the world’s economic frontrunners.
The Minister President voiced anxieties regarding Germany’s current fiscal trajectory, warning that future generations would inherit a substantial burden of debt. He asserted that the current course is unsustainable and that Germany must prioritize either improving the efficiency of its social welfare system or boosting its overall economic performance. He described the need for a “leap of liberation” economically.
Acknowledging that the current political landscape prevents the conservative CDU party from implementing reforms unilaterally, Haseloff stressed the necessity of cross-party collaboration, specifically mentioning the involvement of the SPD. He cautioned against fostering dissent and mobilizing political constituencies within the governing coalition itself, urging stability and unity among centrist forces to facilitate meaningful change.