#rp26 speaker Karsten Wildberger & Markus Beckedahl: What can you tell us about the current state of digitalization in Germany, Mr. Wildberger?

How digital is Germany currently, and what still needs to be done? How can the government and civil society better work together ? And what hopes remain? From platform regulation to the challenges of achieving digital sovereignty to the "Deutschland App": the Minister for Digital Affairs Karsten Wildberger outlines the federal government’s digital policy initiatives in conversation with re:publica co-founder Markus Beckedahl.

Dr. Karsten Wildberger holds a Ph.D. in physics—and has served as Germany’s first Federal Minister for Digital Affairs since May 2025. After working as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group and holding international leadership positions at T-Mobile, Vodafone, Telstra (Australia), and E.ON, he led the digital transformation of one of Europe’s largest retail companies as CEO of Ceconomy AG and Managing Director of Media-Saturn-Holding. Under his leadership, the online business was expanded and innovative digital business models were established. 

Markus Beckedahl is co-founder and curatorial director of re:publica as well as founder of the Center for Digital Rights and Democracy (Zentrzm für Digitalerechte und Demokratie). For over 25 years, he has been observing, analyzing and explaining how the internet and key digital technological developments are shaping our societies, cultural practices and political decisions. In addition, he founded netzpolitik.org, one of the most influential journalistic non-profit media in Germany with a focus on the digital rights and has received numerous awards as its editor-in-chief. Since 2024, he publishes an irregular newsletter on digitalpolitik.de.