Tanja Gönner, the managing director of BDI, called on Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and the federal government to introduce swift economic policy reforms. Speaking to the news magazine Politico, Gönner stated that “the federal government must present clear reforms by summer at the latest”. She added that the government needed to deliver at this time, suggesting that once they do, the business community would be ready to “contribute its part”. However, Gönner also expressed doubt regarding the implementation of key announcements, specifically criticizing the Vice Chancellor for seemingly forgetting his commitment that the state cannot regulate everything and that significant reforms are indeed necessary.
Gönner criticized the current economic policy direction, arguing that Germany faces “an expenditure problem, not a revenue problem”. Instead of increased state spending, she insisted that “everything that creates growth must be advanced”. Furthermore, she criticized planned bonus models that place a strain on companies, describing the situation as being “somewhere between incomprehension and astonishment”. According to Gönner, many businesses are currently facing significant pressure, with many struggling for their very survival.