Catholic entrepreneurs demand Deutsche Bahn privatisation to fix chronic failures

The Federation of Catholic Entrepreneurs (BKU) has called for major reforms at Deutsche Bahn. It argues that poor planning and technical failures have caused persistent delays and cost overruns in projects like Stuttgart 21. The group also highlighted the recent nationwide rail shutdown as evidence of deeper problems within the company. Martin Nebeling, federal chairman of the BKU, criticised the state’s inability to manage Deutsche Bahn effectively. He pointed to the company’s struggles with infrastructure reliability and corporate leadership as key concerns.

The BKU proposed long-term privatisation as a solution, citing successful examples like Deutsche Telekom, DHL Group, and Lufthansa. These former state-owned enterprises now operate as competitive private businesses. Thomas Tietz, head of the BKU’s Energy and Sustainability working group, emphasised the need for a high-performance rail system to support Germany’s transport needs.

According to the BKU, structural reform is essential to improve Deutsche Bahn’s competitiveness. The group insists that privatisation would address chronic issues such as technical vulnerabilities and inefficient management. The BKU’s demands focus on entrepreneurial initiative and lasting changes to Deutsche Bahn’s structure. It believes privatisation could restore confidence in Germany’s rail network. The call comes amid ongoing disruptions and rising costs in major projects.