ifo Jahresversammlung 2026: Keynote: „Es muss sich alles ändern, damit es bleibt, wie es ist“

Watch ad-free in our ifo Media Library: https://www.ifo.de/mediathek/2026-06-... Dr.-Ing. Leonhard Birnbaum CEO of E.ON SE Impulses for Germany: Is a new business model emerging, or is it just the state that's growing? https://www.ifo.de/veranstaltung/2026... Germany urgently needs new perspectives. Private investment has been declining for years, jobs have migrated abroad, and production capacities—especially in energy-intensive sectors—have been reduced. However, policymakers are hesitant to impose reforms on the population. Considerable additional debt has been incurred to enable a rapid increase in defense spending, but debt financing cannot replace reforms. If Germany wants to move forward, it must replace old structures with new business ideas, alternative trade relationships, and technological innovations. At the same time, the country must prepare for the possibility of a military conflict. What are the signs that all of this is succeeding? Can government initiatives be effective, or are we simply building an oversized public sector that ultimately crowds out rather than promotes private initiatives? What tasks need to be addressed now, what opportunities does Germany still have, and how can the country strengthen its position in international competition?