Germany to be ‘fundamentally different’ by 2035

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday he believes Europe’s largest economy is capable of reform and could undergo a fundamental transformation by 2035.

“Germany has the strength to reform, Germany has the strength to make a new start,” Merz told an economic council in Berlin.

Merz said he expected the country to be “fundamentally different” by 2035, citing fully digitalized public administration and approval processes, a state no longer seen as an obstacle, and a shift from distrust to trust. Energy would become affordable and reliable again, he added.

“In short, I believe that in 2035 Germany will be a country that believes in itself again, a free country, which remains secure and which preserves its prosperity for future generations,” he said, adding that this was achievable rather than utopian.

Merz acknowledged that sentiment in Germany was currently tense, saying concerns reflected “very real issues” rather than passing moods. He warned that jobs were being lost every day and businesses were going bankrupt.

However, he warned against excessive pessimism, saying that a situation of constant pessimism could end up weakening even a strong society and that there was no reason to have such a gloomy outlook despite justified criticism.