“I look forward to your questions”

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The Federal Chancellor’s 2024 summer press conference “I look forward to your questions”

Growth initiative, Germany’s defence capability, societal cohesion, migration: at the summer press conference in Berlin, Federal Chancellor Scholz talked about a wide range of topics that are of concern to people in Germany.

  • Transcript of press conference
  • Wednesday, 24 July 2024
Steffen Hebestreit (l.), Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (c.) and a representative of the Federal Press Conference on the Federal Press Conference podium with the relevant sign on the blue wall above.

A traditional event: in his summer press conference, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz spent almost two hours, answering journalists's questions.

Photo: Federal Government/Jesco Denzel

Transcript of the press conference in German only

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz opened the summer press conference with a short introductory statement in which he spoke about the Federal Cabinet’s last meeting before the summer break, saying that all resolutions were aimed at modernising Germany at a faster pace. He pointed out that tax reductions were beneficial for companies, research and families alike. In his summary he described the Cabinet meeting as follows: “Pretty productive – a good start for the summer break.”

The journalists then had close to two hours to ask the Federal Chancellor their questions.

Modernising Germany

The draft budget was determined jointly, the Federal Chancellor said, adding that the following key issues would now be addressed jointly through the growth initiative: “Modernisation, technological advancement, growth and societal cohesion.”

49 individual measures are to be implemented to this end. These measures include expansion of infrastructure, stabilisation of the welfare state, more money for the Federal Armed Forces and further support for Ukraine. “That’s not too bad in these very rough times,” Scholz stressed.

“This is why I’m Mr. Minimum Wage”

“We currently have the greatest number of gainfully employed individuals in German history,” Scholz pointed out. The labour market is to be boosted further to counteract the shortage of skilled workers. The Federal Chancellor said he was in full support of the statutory minimum wage, and that political action had to be taken against wage dumping.

The citizen’s basic income is to be developed further, including continuous support for those receiving it. Germany is affected by a skilled workers’ shortage, and it is therefore important to reintegrate people who are currently receiving the Citizens' Basic Income into the labour market.

The Federal Chancellor stressed his commitment to full pension entitlement after 45 years of paying contributions, saying that it was not right for “lots of people who went to university like myself to be politically glib and claim that people who started working at 16 were privileged”.

Stationing of long-range US weapons in Germany

Medium-range weapons from the US are to be stationed in Germany once again from 2026. This decision had been made in order to protect Germany and the NATO states against attack and to prevent war, Scholz said. “We need means of deterrence that go beyond the cruise missiles that we already have, for example, and that includes conventional long-range weapons.”

Scholz explained that the reason for this was Russia’s massive violation of any arms control agreements concluded over the past few decades. “We all wish to live in a world where arms control plays an important role again.”

“We can choose who comes to Germany”

“Can we choose who comes to Germany? The answer is: yes.” This was something Federal Chancellor Scholz stressed, adding that the Federal Government was working towards deporting criminals in particular, including to Syria and Afghanistan. Irregular migration was to be limited further, and repatriations had increased by 30 percent, Scholz said. He went on to point out that the Federal Government had reduced irregular migration, for example by introducing border controls. In addition, the government was planning to accelerate asylum procedures, Scholz said. At the same time, he stressed that enough workers were needed to make sure that Germany stayed “a prosperous and wealthy country” and that this included workers from outside Europe.

Clear stance on the Middle East conflict

“Following Hamas’ brutal, inhuman attack against Israeli citizens last October, it is Israel’s right to defend itself and to actively fight Hamas, too,” the Federal Chancellor stressed. However, it was also important for any warfare to be in line with international humanitarian law and for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza on a very large scale, Scholz said, adding that “a perspective for peaceful coexistence of Israel and a Palestinian state based on a two-state solution” was essential.