A leading figure within the Left party has voiced concerns regarding recent personnel appointments at Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway company. Ines Schwerdtner, co-chair of the Left party, argued that the railway’s persistent struggles stem from a leadership structure comprising executives with high salaries and limited practical experience within the rail sector.
The criticism follows the unveiling of reform proposals by Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU). These proposals outline changes including the appointment of Evelyn Palla as the designated head of Deutsche Bahn, previously responsible for regional transport and Dirk Rompf, slated to replace Philipp Nagl as head of Infrago, at Minister Schnieder’s request. Rompf currently works as a consultant for Cadmus and serves as managing director of Ifok.
While acknowledging the urgency of the proposed strategy, Schwerdtner emphasized a fundamental shift in approach is needed. She specifically challenged Minister Schnieder’s focus on increasing the railway’s economic efficiency. Schwerdtner asserted that the expectation for Deutsche Bahn to operate as a profit-generating corporation should be abandoned. Instead, she advocated for a focus on punctuality, reliability and affordability, necessitating substantial investment from the federal government – recognizing the railway’s crucial role in essential public services. Schwerdtner further proposed a transformation of the company into what she described as a “modern citizen’s railway” prioritizing the public good over purely commercial objectives.