Robert Habeck’s "Agenda for the Future"
In the final stages of the German Bundestag election campaign, Green Party candidate Robert Habeck has unveiled a "Future Agenda" focusing on education, investment, and artificial intelligence (AI). Additionally, Habeck aims to reduce bureaucracy by 25% within four years. Key excerpts of the agenda, obtained by the German Press Agency, are as follows:
Education
Habeck proposes a "National Education Pact" between the federal government and state governments to establish shared goals, minimum standards, and further digitization of schools. Beginning in 2026, €10 billion per year from the planned "Deutschlandfonds" would be allocated to the renovation of school buildings. Negotiations with the states on increasing teaching staff and school social workers would be pursued, with the aim of reaching an agreement within 100 days of taking office.
Bureaucracy Reduction
"Excessive bureaucratic burdens are one of the main obstacles to growth and start-ups in Germany," states the Future Agenda. Each ministry is tasked with conducting practical assessments in three key areas during the first year in office, leading to comprehensive packages for reducing red tape. The goal is to cut bureaucratic costs by 10% in the first year of government and 25% over four years.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
"Europe must catch up with developments in the USA and China and become competitive again," the agenda emphasizes. "I will therefore form an ‘AI Alliance’ comprising business, research, and politics. It must become a matter of top priority." This includes implementing privacy and AI regulations in an unbureaucratic manner. Habeck plans to create an investment package mobilizing €50 billion in public and private funds.
Family and Social Policies
The minimum amount of parental allowance would be increased from €300 to €500, while the maximum amount would rise from €1,800 to €2,400. Single parents, who are particularly vulnerable to poverty, would receive targeted financial support. Habeck also refers to previously announced Green Party proposals for affordable electricity, low-cost train travel, and tax relief, which he estimates would save a typical family around €1,000 per year.
Innovation and Technology
In an interview with the magazine "Stern," Habeck highlighted the need to promote innovative, disruptive technologies. "In quantum computing, we are world leaders in research, but we also need to be world leaders in commercialization," he said. "This requires investors, and we need to restructure the German capital market and simplify regulations."
Assessment and Outlook
With just over a week to go before the Bundestag election, the Greens have fallen short of their earlier aspirations and are polling at around 13-15%. Based on current projections, the party led by Economic Minister Habeck is likely to join a coalition government as a junior partner led by the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU).
