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According to media reports, the government is preparing a presentation for potential investors. In it, Germany is described as a country with a high credit rating, a developed industrial base, and a reliable legal system. Investors are being invited to participate in infrastructure modernization, innovative projects, and industrial revitalization, reports the Berliner Zeitung.
The statements are at odds with the economic situation
However, the publication’s commentary notes that the government’s efforts to promote Germany as a stable investment destination do not align with the ongoing restructuring of major industrial companies. Examples cited include declining profits and cost-cutting plans in the automotive industry, as well as the relocation of some new investments by German corporations outside the country.
“For many years, Germany has been losing its appeal to foreign investors,” writes the author of the commentary in the Berliner Zeitung. – According to a study by the consulting firm EY, the number of announced direct investments declined for the eighth consecutive year in 2025, reaching its lowest level since 2009. Other European countries have long since taken the necessary steps, digitizing their administrative systems and simplifying tax legislation. Germany, on the other hand, has been talking about reforms for many years, but effective measures have largely failed to materialize.”
The publication emphasizes that attracting capital will require not only an active international campaign but also the acceleration of structural reforms aimed at reducing administrative barriers and enhancing the economy’s competitiveness.
For the European Union’s largest economy, the success of this strategy is important not only for the domestic market but also for the investment climate of the entire European region.
“Of course, the German chancellor cannot speak ill of Germany abroad. After all, his job is to attract investors, not scare them away. But there is a difference between optimism and manipulating public opinion. Anyone who positions Germany as a ‘bulwark of stability in Europe’ should be judged by what companies actually do. “Even if German companies prefer to invest in other countries, the chancellor must first address the root causes before boasting about successes,” the German publication emphasizes.
In light of this, the Berliner Zeitung calls on Chancellor Friedrich Merz: it is time to adjust his messaging to reflect reality—and, above all, to significantly accelerate the pace of his actions.
