Pressure is mounting within the conservative CDU/CSU parliamentary group for leader Friedrich Merz to accelerate concrete measures aimed at bolstering the German economy. The calls, spearheaded by veteran politician and former parliamentary group leader Ralph Brinkhaus, represent a significant challenge to Merz’s leadership and highlight growing anxieties over Germany’s economic competitiveness.
Brinkhaus, currently the CDU/CSU parliamentary group spokesperson for Digital Affairs and State Modernization, argues that prolonged analysis and conceptual planning have proven insufficient. “The problems facing the state have been thoroughly analyzed, modernization concepts are on the table” he stated to the Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers. “The focus now must shift decisively to implementation – and implementation is fundamentally a matter of leadership.
Brinkhaus’s criticisms aren’t simply about a lack of tangible results, but a perceived deficit in proactive leadership. He contends that a functioning, digitized state offers the most effective and cost-efficient form of economic support and insists that Merz, alongside state premiers, must elevate state modernization to a top priority.
The proposals put forward by Brinkhaus aren’t mere suggestions; they are concrete demands designed to force immediate action. He specifically calls for quantifiable reductions in bureaucratic reporting requirements, a drastic acceleration of permit approval processes and the establishment of regulations allowing for company formation within a 24-hour timeframe. These targets aim to directly address the obstacles hindering growth and innovation within Germany.
The public rebuke from a figure of Brinkhaus’s stature carries considerable weight within the CDU/CSU. While Merz has consistently championed economic reform, Brinkhaus’s intervention underscores concerns that progress has been too slow and that the current leadership style isn’t translating into observable improvements. Political analysts suggest this internal pressure could force Merz to either demonstrably accelerate the implementation of his economic agenda or risk further erosion of his authority within the party, particularly if the economy continues to underperform. The debate represents a telling power struggle within the conservative ranks, highlighting the critical juncture facing Germany’s economic future and the political leadership tasked with navigating it.