Philipp Amthor (CDU) stated that, after working for a year as a Parliamentary State Secretary, he feels satisfied with the progress made. He praised the establishment of the new Federal Ministry for Digital and State Modernization, emphasizing that this move has elevated digital and modernization themes to top priorities at the cabinet level. Amthor highlighted the tremendous momentum and effectiveness in the implementation process, comparing their immediate start to others who might, after establishing their ministries, get bogged down in minor details like decorating or organizing the canteen for many months.
Looking back, the politician criticized how discussions about reducing bureaucracy had often remained purely theoretical-“topics for Sunday sermons”. He explained that politicians frequently made grand announcements but then failed to follow through in practice. Amthor acknowledged that the ministry successfully reframed the problem, moving away from treating it as a conceptual issue and recognizing it as a practical, implementation challenge. According to Amthor, the focus must now be on systematically dismantling “the mountain of concrete” bureaucracy that has piled up over decades.