"We want to make a difference as a group"

Max Mordhorst is chairman of the parliamentary group "Foundation and Start-up". In an interview, he talks about his goals for this legislative period, the advantages of cross-party cooperation and his criticisms of the start-up strategy.

Max Mordhorst has just come out of his first parliamentary summer recess. The FDP politician has been in the Bundestag since last fall. Since this spring, he has been the first chairman of the Parliamentary Group on Foundations and Start-ups, a non-partisan group of members of parliament that deals with the topic outside the usual parliamentary structures. In an interview, he explains why this body is important, what his goals are with the circle and how he views the importance of the topic of start-ups in general.

Mr. Mordhorst, you are the first chairman of the Parliamentary Group for Foundations and Start-ups in this legislative period. Let me ask you directly: Why is this absolutely necessary?

Max Mordhorst: For me, it is part of the self-image of a self-confident parliament that we want to give our own impetus to the topics of founding and start-ups. We are also non-partisan, which means that we discover differences here, but also commonalities between the parties. In this spirit, the chairmanship will also rotate; I'm doing it now for the first year, then a colleague from another party takes over.

Start-up policy, however, seems to be made primarily in the Ministry of Economics at the moment, which has now presented its start-up strategy. What role do you still see your district playing?

We will take a look at the strategy after the summer break and develop our own position on it. I think a lot of fundamental issues will be addressed. But I'm very curious, for example, what our colleagues from the opposition will say about it. And I personally also have a critical view of a number of points.

One area of conflict is the interlinking of companies with the world of education.

Maximilian Mordhorst

For example?

I think there is still a lot of catching up to do when it comes to promoting real laboratories. Granting legal freedom to test business models, I find important, but still underrepresented in the current draft. Another point is the time limit for employee shareholdings. I think this is too strict.

What effect will such a statement by the circle really have in the end?

In the end, the parliament is decisive in our political system. And the advantage of our circle is: What we discuss, we can carry into all parliamentary groups. We definitely want to make a difference as a group and not just become a visiting circle.

What do you mean by that?

We don't want to go around the country and visit a start-up here and there. I also don't see this parliamentary group as a framework for making my mark. My hope is that we can become a contact point for founders. My impression is that many would like to exchange ideas with politicians. We could make it easier for them to get in touch with representatives of all parties and they wouldn't have to approach all the parliamentary groups.

How big are the differences between the various parties when it comes to startups?

Not that big. We actually all agree that the issue of start-ups needs to be given a higher profile than in previous legislative periods. And we also all want to see the expansion of state subsidies.

However, one area of conflict is the linking of companies with the world of education, for example through spin-offs from universities. This is still frowned upon in Germany, and there is a lot of mistrust, especially from the left. We also don't always agree on the issue of employee share ownership.

We always need a founding spirit to move forward.

Max Mordhorst

Your party, the FDP, sees itself as a representative of the founding spirit in politics. How much does it actually hurt you that the topic is now in the Green-led Ministry of Economics?

That's a bit annoying, of course. But unfortunately the FDP doesn't have an absolute majority yet, so we won't get all the ministries(laughs). But seriously, I think a lot of what's happening right now is good, especially in the context of the start-up strategy. And many issues, for example when it comes to bureaucracy for startups, are also the responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Finance. The digital ministry is also occupied by our party. But as a parliament and as a parliamentary group, it's our job to critically monitor the proposals of the ministries anyway, so it's not so important who heads it.

Other issues are dominating the political agenda right now, such as the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine. Are you worried that the foundation issue will be pushed into the background?

On the contrary, I think it's currently even more important than before. After all, we need a basis for all the money we are about to spend. And in the long term, we will only have that if there are founders with new ideas to help us overcome the crises. We are not a country of administrative economy, we always need a founding spirit to move forward.

What has to happen in the next few years in the parliamentary group so that you leave the legislative period with the feeling that the work there has been successful?

A lot will be about the concrete implementation of the start-up strategy. There will be many topics, such as the creation of investment incentives or the consolidation of funding programs. If, after the four years, we have turned a screw or two, I will be satisfied.

Personal details: Max Mordhorst, 26, entered the Bundestag in 2021 on the state list of the Schleswig-Holstein FDP. There he is a member of the Finance Committee and the Digital Committee, as well as a deputy member of the Tourism Committee. Since 2019, the state chairman of the Young Liberals in Schleswig-Holstein. He is studying law at Christian Albrechts University in Kiel.