In view of the economic downturn, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck has called on German companies to have more courage to invest in their own country. Many young entrepreneurs only receive investments from abroad, said the Green politician in the podcast “Table.Today” by the digital media company Table.Media. “We are very risk-averse in Germany,” said Habeck. “And in a phase like this you have to have the courage to try something new.”
The country is more than the government. “We have to come to an attitude with all the problems and say: ‘That’s enough, now let’s roll up our sleeves and believe in this country, believe in the people in this country.'”
Habeck is self-critical
The government made many decisions in the dispute, which certainly did not improve the mood in the country, said Habeck. “We have to get better and solve the many structural problems that didn’t grow overnight.”
The German economy slipped into recession last year and is lagging behind internationally. According to preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office, the gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.3 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, adjusted for prices. Europe’s largest economy is entering the current year without any tailwind. According to an initial estimate, economic output is likely to have shrunk at the end of 2023. Some economists now fear that GDP will fall again this year. There is a small ray of hope in public finances.
50,400 new jobs
Habeck cited the development in the expansion of renewable energies as positive news. The increase led to 50,400 new jobs within a year. That is an increase of 15 percent. “That’s a very, very significant number,” says Habeck. Efforts in the area of climate protection created new added value.
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