Joe Kaeser, former CEO of Siemens, has advised Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) to form a minority government. Reporting on this, the “Tagesspiegel” notes that Kaeser fears more than just the failure of the “black-red” coalition; he worries about the consequences if the coalition remains in place. He stated that a federal government incapable of meeting the expectations of the voters is nothing but a waste of time.
If the governing coalition is unable to implement necessary structural reforms, Kaeser suggests that adopting a minority administration represents the “last resort”. According to him, this move would serve to reinstitute order among democratic forces and provide a final chance before the AfD gains a majority at the federal level.
Kaeser also offered strong criticism of the term “firewall” (“Brandmauer”) used in reference to the AfD, describing it as “terminologically incorrect and extremely concerning”. He highlighted that the word “fire” brings to mind the Kristallnacht, and “wall” evokes the suffering of German division. To suggest that nearly a quarter of voters fundamentally do not belong is, in his view, a dangerous misstep.
Commenting on the overall performance, the former Siemens CEO assessed the first year of the black-red coalition as a disappointment. He drew a parallel to his school report cards, where praising phrases often included, “He always tried” but observed that such effort was insufficient. Kaeser concluded by emphasizing that success is measured strictly by results.