With the establishment of an independent digital ministry, the CDU/CSU and SPD have marked a milestone in modernisation – but the German economy wants more than symbolic politics. According to a Bitkom survey, 95% of companies see cybercrime, digital schools and data protection as urgent tasks. It is now important to quickly translate these priorities into concrete projects and position Germany as a digital pioneer.
With the establishment of an independent digital ministry, the federal government has taken an important symbolic step that underscores its political will to modernise. However, Bitkom’s survey results show that the economy expects concrete, swift action – not just lip service. In particular, the fight against cybercrime and the expansion of digital education are at the top of the agenda, with 95% approval ratings. A digital ministry would have to translate these priorities into tangible projects in the short term: more resources for IT security teams, standardised curricula for digital skills and comprehensive provision of end devices and fast internet in schools.
At the same time, the establishment of a new ministry must not lead to additional bureaucratic hurdles. The transfer of tasks from other departments requires clear responsibilities and efficient coordination processes. Otherwise, important issues such as data protection reform or cloud strategies are likely to get bogged down in interministerial discussions. This requires lean, agile project offices that are in close contact with representatives of industry.
The high expectations of companies – 85% are calling for a digital offensive and 99% want to see greater competitiveness – are putting pressure on politicians to deliver concrete criteria for success. The expansion of communication networks and digital skills (82% each) requires massive investment and a coordinated support structure. The declared goal must be to position Germany not only as a digital infrastructure location, but also as an innovation hub. The new Digital Ministry offers the opportunity to bundle policy areas and drive forward digital transformation ‘made in Germany’ – provided that planning security, flexibility and partnership-based cooperation between the state and industry can be achieved.
