A prominent initiative advocating for a more effective state has presented a comprehensive reform agenda to Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The “Initiative for a Capable State” spearheaded by Julia Jäkel, Thomas de Maizière, Peer Steinbrück and Andreas Voßkuhle, delivered its final report on Monday, outlining 35 recommendations deemed vital for a well-functioning state. The authors noted that a significant portion of these recommendations are already reflected in the coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and SPD parties.
The initiative emphasizes that state reform should be understood as a shared responsibility, stressing that a single Minister for Digital Affairs and State Modernization is insufficient to drive the necessary changes. The report urges both the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor to vigorously promote these reforms, while advocating for close collaboration between the federal government and the states. The recently established “joint modernization agenda” agreed upon by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and the state premiers, is viewed as a positive step toward achieving these goals.
A key focus of the report addresses the perceived detrimental influence of social media on democratic processes. The initiators propose revisiting the current liability exemptions afforded to social media platforms regarding the content they disseminate and suggest stricter enforcement of existing youth protection regulations. Furthermore, the report recommends the establishment of model municipalities and regions designed to pilot and accelerate administrative reforms.