Former Federal Finance Minister Peer Steinbrück (SPD) described the current state of Germany as unprecedented, a reflection that prompted him to critique his own role in the Merkel-era government. Speaking to “Spitzengespräch” on “Der Spiegel”, Steinbrück stated that he could not recall a period in which the concentration of challenges was so significant, noting that even the financial market crisis of 2008/09 pales in comparison.
He subsequently criticized contemporary politicians, expressing surprise at how little the political sphere seems to be communicating about the magnitude and far-reaching consequences of this historical turning point.
Looking back at his own time in government, Steinbrück showed self-critical reflection. He acknowledged that during that period, “we were all those who did not want to see the large elephants in the room”. These major issues, he pointed out, included the matter of Germany’s defense capabilities and its overall lack of competitiveness.
Furthermore, the former SPD candidate identified other persistent oversights, such as the tremendous demographic pressure placed on social security systems, which has led to an overcomplication of the welfare state-its high cultural good. According to Steinbrück, the deficiencies in digitalization and infrastructure, along with insufficient investment in education, had been ignored for far too long.