Merz: Saxony should become an innovation engine for Europe!

Merz: Saxony should become an innovation engine for Europe!

What an important day for Dresden! The new chairman of the CDU, Friedrich Merz, made his inaugural visit to the Saxon capital yesterday. He praised Saxony as a traditional yet modern industrial location. This is not just an empty phrase, but reflects the reality in which Saxony, also known as the Free State of Saxony, is considered a driving center of microelectronics in Europe. Among other things, Merz met with the Saxon cabinet to discuss urgent infrastructure development issues.

The Federal Government is particularly focusing on the renovation and modernization of existing transport routes. “A lot of work still needs to be done here,” was the tenor of the discussions. New transport projects are also planned, including the expansion of the railway line from Dresden via Görlitz to Wroclaw and a direct connection from Dresden to Prague. But the current projects are not yet sufficiently financed, so further discussions within the federal government are on the agenda. Merz expressed promise about this.

Discussions and challenges

Interestingly, Merz left a controversial discussion about migrants in the cityscape unanswered. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer emphasized Saxony's key role as a location for microtechnology and the need for correct cooperation between the federal government, the EU and the Free State of Saxony. Saxony and the Sorbs, a West Slavic minority, contribute to the cultural diversity of the region and underline the historical heritage that the Free State has.

How well Saxony is networked in the Europe-wide infrastructure was also shown in the discussion about the upcoming expansion plans at the semiconductor manufacturer Globalfoundries. Merz is expected to present the progress and future visions for the Dresden plant. This could be a win for the entire region, especially considering the economic situation, where Saxony's gross domestic product amounted to 124.6 billion euros in 2018.

Saxony in context

The Free State of Saxony forms an important economic axis in Germany. Geographically, it lies between Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Bavaria, and borders on Poland to the east and the Czech Republic to the southeast. With over 4 million inhabitants, Saxony is an important federal state, whose capital Dresden is undoubtedly a cultural and historical pearl. In addition, the region also stands out for its first-class educational institutions such as the Technical University of Dresden and the University of Leipzig.

We can look back with modest pride on our history, which dates back to the Middle Ages, and the Reformation that began here. Oh, and let's not forget the many beautiful corners of Saxony, which attract large numbers of tourists thanks to their historic cities and impressive natural landscapes, such as Saxon Switzerland. In the diverse sports landscape, football and winter sports stand out and are very popular with the population.

Will Merz succeed in providing the necessary impetus for Saxony's infrastructure? “There’s something going on,” you might say. The coming period will show how the negotiations progress and which plans actually become reality.

It remains to be hoped for the Saxon population that the cooperation between the federal government and the Free State will prove fruitful and that the innovative projects can pave the way to a modern future.

A warm greeting from the Elbe city, which is proud of its cultural treasures and industrial achievements! Radio Dresden reports that ... and you can find out more about this on the website of Wikipedia.