Kretschmer: "Germany is just driving itself down"

Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer sees Germany in a downward spiral "that could end in disaster". "Germany is currently going downhill", the CDU vice-president told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. So far, it has not been possible to give the country a positive jolt. Improvements were finally needed that the population could feel in their daily lives.

In Kretschmer's view, Germany should take an example from its Polish neighbor. "Poland has growth of over three percent and we are in recession," he says. "So we have to take a look: What are their energy costs, what are their labor costs? How many hours do they work? And draw the consequences from that."

Make lignite-based electricity cheaper again

In terms of energy and climate policy, the German path is leading through a "valley of death", warned Saxony's head of government. "German industry will not survive on this path. And that is why electricity must not be an expensive scarce commodity." He pointed out that electricity from lignite, for example, is made more expensive by the CO2 levy. "That could be changed." Price competitiveness is the be-all and end-all.

He also sees a need for further action in refugee policy. Here, it has been possible to reduce the influx. However, the repatriation of rejected asylum seekers is not progressing to the same extent. "So it will be a while before you can see in the cityscape that things have really changed," said Kretschmer.