TUI CEO Critiques German Economic Policy on 'maischberger'
TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel critiques the German government's economic policy, expressing concerns about a lack of coherent strategy during his appearance on ARD's 'maischberger'.
On August 12, 2026, during an appearance on the ARD talk show "maischberger," Sebastian Ebel, the CEO of TUI AG, expressed strong criticism regarding the German government's economic strategy. Ebel stated, "Much of it is absolutely incomprehensible to me and many colleagues. A lot of what was announced has not been implemented. It seems planless," highlighting a lack of effective action from the government.
Ebel specifically pointed out his disappointment with Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), remarking, "I am quite surprised. The results are alarming." He noted a perceived absence of a coherent economic plan, stating that the trend of economic deindustrialization has accelerated further. "Aside from the public sector, nothing has improved," Ebel commented.
The TUI chief also expressed his expectations from Federal Minister of Economics Katharina Reiche (CDU), saying, "I have not yet seen the grand plan. Where do we want to go economically? Either it does not exist, or it has not been well communicated. It is not noticeable enough for people to say, 'I will follow it.'"
Reflecting on the policies of Reiche's predecessor, Robert Habeck (Bündnis 90/Grüne), Ebel acknowledged, "We see today that they were largely on the absolutely right path. The energy transition was absolutely correct, but it was poorly communicated." He believes there is no longer a contradiction between commercial viability and environmental protection.
The episode of "maischberger" featuring Ebel aired at 22:50 on Das Erste, a joint production of ARD, produced by WDR in collaboration with Vincent productions GmbH.
