On a Saturday in late December, a sense of unease spread through Germany as fresh criticisms sharpened the dialogue about the state’s direction. Wolfgang Kubicki, a deputy speaker of the Bundestag and vice-president of the Free Democratic Party, spoke candidly about what he saw as mounting dysfunction in the Federal Republic. His concerns were reiterated in a lengthy interview with Bild am Sonntag, where he outlined a list of systemic issues facing the nation and its citizens.
According to Kubicki, the country’s most pressing challenges include aging infrastructure, rising energy costs, and what he described as the Bundeswehr’s shortfall in defending the nation. He argued that these problems require immediate action. The FDP member emphasized that the goal is to elevate the well-being of German citizens, not to threaten the country. He warned that the economy must withstand the test of time if the issues are left unaddressed (Bild am Sonntag). The party’s 11.5% share in the September 2021 elections and its part in the ruling coalition alongside the Social Democrats and the Greens have shaped the current government’s cabinet, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Kubicki also pointed to a looming fiscal risk arising from the state’s planned 110 billion euro spending on energy relief measures within the current crisis. He suggested that continuing aid at the same pace for years could push the country toward financial peril, potentially a phase of state bankruptcy or, in his words, state socialism. The deputy speaker warned that without decisive reforms, the crisis would erode the country’s ability to invest in the future and sustain essential services (Bild am Sonntag).
In a bold assessment of policy directions, Kubicki challenged the Greens on energy strategy. He described his frustration with what he called a lack of decisive action in difficult times for households and the broader economy, particularly within a coalition often described as a “traffic light.” He argued that opportunities to secure affordable energy supplies were not fully exploited, and criticized the nation for importing large volumes of liquefied natural gas from partners like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, while resisting domestic shale gas development for ideological reasons. He asserted that this approach would fail to meet the country’s needs during a crisis and urged a more robust response to energy challenges (Bild am Sonntag).