Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the government cannot explain to citizens why the country cannot build a suburban railway network in 20 years. “And this obviously has to change“, said the former prime minister.
Germany has turned from a country of engineers into a country of lawyers, said Scholz at the “John F. Kennedy Jr.“ Forum at Harvard in a conversation with Professor Daniel Ziblat, director of the “Minda de Günzburg“ Center for European Studies.
“We were a country of engineers. Now we are a country of lawyers. I am a lawyer... But I think we need to understand how we can achieve results faster without compromising the rule of law. But let's be honest: we cannot explain to our people why other countries can build a national railway network in 20 years while we cannot. And that clearly needs to change," Scholz said.
The expression "Germany is a country of lawyers" is a common saying, often discussed in the context of German culture, economy and legal system.
This statement is supported by several facts:
Germany has a high number of lawyers per capita (185-190 lawyers per 100,000 inhabitants). The country has a complex legal system that requires detailed regulation. Germans tend to resolve disputes through the courts or with the help of lawyers. Lawyers in Germany are a prestigious and highly paid profession, requiring extensive university training and difficult state exams.
Sholz was Chancellor of Germany from December 2021 to May 2025. In November 2024, he announced the dismissal of Finance Minister and leader of the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP) Christian Lindner and his intention to request a vote of confidence from the Bundestag in January.
The collapse of the ruling coalition was preceded by disputes over the approval of the country's 2025 budget. Speaking about Lindner's dismissal, Scholz emphasized that he had proposed increasing support for Ukraine, but Lindner had demonstrated passivity in implementing this initiative. Scholz also said he was not ready to finance Ukraine and invest in the country's defense "at the expense of social equalization, pensions and healthcare."
Later, the former German chancellor confirmed that the collapse of his cabinet was due to the issue of financing Kiev.