Expectations of the “government of digitalization”
(Karlsruhe, ) December 08, 2021 marked a new phase for the Federal Republic. The Merkel era comes to an end and Olaf Scholz takes office as the fourth SPD Chancellor in Germany. Just one day after the official handover, it is clear that immediate action and solutions will be needed from this government.
Upon taking office, a customary grace period of 100 days begins, but in the midst of pandemic times, this is not an option. There is not much time to wait. To speed up government action and ensure that the Federal Republic is better prepared for crises in the future, the traffic light coalition has set itself the goal of driving forward the “comprehensive digitalization of the administration”.
As a traffic light alliance, the new government’s guiding principle is “Dare more progress. Alliance for freedom, justice and sustainability”. The role that digital policy will play in this is of important significance for virtual7 as a company that has taken up the cause of digitalization in Germany.
The special importance of digitalization is already evident in the coalition agreement. “Taking joint responsibility for the future of Germany and driving forward the necessary modernization,” are formulated as concrete goals. Particularly in times of crisis, it has become clear: Germany must be capable of acting and performing. This can only be achieved through upheaval and modernization.
The area of administration is to become more “agile and digital”. Creative problem-solving and consistent attention to utilization perspectives should lead to overcoming silo thinking and equipping agile project teams and innovation units with the necessary competencies. In addition, proactive administrative action is to be enshrined in law through automated and application-free procedures. The emergence of modern management and administrative culture will thus be driven forward and ensure digital solutions.
Even before the change of government, there were efforts to drive forward the digitization of the Federal Republic and, in this context, to improve working conditions in the public sector in particular. The elaborate coalition agreement gives the impression that there is a new awareness of digitalization.
The appointed goal seems to be digitalization at all levels. However, in order to avoid continuing to merely scratch the surface of this issue, a reliable agreement with all federal states is sought. This should speed up the areas of planning, approval and implementation of projects. Standardized IT interfaces between the federal and state governments and the establishment of a cloud for public administration as well as open standards for public IT projects are the benchmark.
As a company that has positioned itself in these areas of activity, virtual7 supports the new government’s plans. In addition to the acutely needed solutions related to the pandemic, virtual7 hopes that the clear objective in the area of digitalization will not be lost sight of. In addition to the numerous other political areas, digital policy is crucial for Germany’s further development and ability to act in international comparison. By introducing an agile management and administrative culture, workflows can be significantly improved and raised to a new level. Expectations of the new government are high, and the goals formulated seem long overdue. Only time will tell whether the new government can fulfill these expectations.
