The Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst (CDU), is advocating for a comprehensive overhaul of the state structure, signaling a potential shift in how Germany operates. In an interview with POLITICO, Wüst expressed willingness to cede responsibilities from state level to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
“We, as states, must be open to handing over competencies in order to simplify things” he stated, emphasizing a readiness to relinquish authority where doing so would enhance quality and speed. He suggested the establishment of binding decisions across Germany through majority decisions in certain areas, furthering the notion of a more unified approach.
Wüst’s comments follow the release of a report by the “Initiative for a Functional State” a group including former federal ministers Peer Steinbrück (SPD) and Thomas de Maizière (CDU). The report highlights the urgent need for Germany to modernize, accelerate its processes and reduce bureaucratic hurdles.
The NRW Minister-President insists that meaningful reform extends beyond the structures of government, requiring a broader cultural shift. “The modernization affects not only the levels of the state but all of us” Wüst noted. He championed a culture valuing risk-taking and individual responsibility over a focus on absolute security, asserting that such a change is crucial to facilitating simpler legislation and administration.
