Merz promotes the skilled trades in Dresden

Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has promoted the skilled trades in Dresden. "Training in the skilled trades offers young people future-proof and challenging professions and training opportunities," said the CDU politician at the training center of the Dresden Chamber of Skilled Crafts. He also talked to apprentices, master craftsmen and company owners. Merz is visiting various federal states on his chancellor tour - Saxony is currently on the agenda. He wants to complete the tour by the end of the year.

Framework conditions for the skilled trades should improve

Merz praised inter-company training. "Many countries around the world are envious of this model, which we have had in Germany for over 100 years." The skilled trades sector is a major employer and an important discussion partner for politicians, he said. He promised the skilled trades businesses the support of the government. The federal government wants to ensure "that the framework conditions improve again in the coming years and decades", said Merz.

The President of the Dresden Chamber of Skilled Crafts, Jörg Dittrich - also President of the Central Association of German Skilled Crafts - spoke of an investment backlog in many training centers. He criticized bureaucracy, increasing requirements and complex procedures. In this context, he praised the cabinet's draft of the Procurement Acceleration Act.

Saxony's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) also emphasized that the skilled trades are golden. Especially in these times, it is worth looking for a future with dual training in the skilled trades. He called for a Germany in which entrepreneurship and performance are once again rewarded.

Merz does not address his comments on the "cityscape" again

In his statement, Merz did not address his controversial comments on migrants in the cityscape. Vocational training and the question of how to attract young people to skilled trades "is the main topic of my visit here today", explained Merz. The Chancellor had previously attended a cabinet meeting of the Saxon government.

Demonstration in front of the state chancellery

Multiple organizations had called for a protest against Merz in front of the state chancellery in Dresden. According to a dpa reporter, around 250 people gathered in front of the building - but by then the CDU politician was already on his way to his next appointment. Thousands of people have taken to the streets across Germany over the past two weeks because of the "Stadtbild" statements.

Merz had triggered the debate because he had said that the federal government was correcting previous failures in migration policy and making progress, "but of course we still have this problem in the cityscape, and that is why the Federal Minister of the Interior is now also in the process of facilitating and carrying out repatriations on a very large scale".

Merz recently specified that problems were caused by those migrants who did not have permanent residence status, did not work and did not abide by the rules. In a ZDF survey, 63 percent of respondents agreed with the CDU chairman's more precise statement.