Merz and Lula open Hanover Fair 2026: Between confidence and pressure for reform
Chancellor Merz tries to exude confidence while industry hopes for real reforms. Meanwhile, Brazil's president promotes renewables.
Chancellor Merz and Brazilian President Lula opened the Hanover Fair at the Hannover Congress Centrum.
(Image: Martin Fischer / heise medien)
The world's most important industrial trade fair, with more than 3,000 exhibitors, has started in Hanover. This year's partner country of the Hanover Fair is Brazil, and it was accordingly opened by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz together with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday evening. This year, the topics of AI and robotics, which offer great opportunities for industry and society, as well as the defense sector, are shaping the event. The fair is open to trade visitors and interested parties until April 24.
(Image:Â Martin Fischer / heise medien)
At the opening event in the Hannover Congress Centrum, Brazilian President Lula da Silva emphasized the importance of renewable energies for sustainable economic growth: “Brazil can help the European Union to reduce energy costs and decarbonize its industry.”
While Brazil has an enormous share of renewable energies in its electricity mix, around 90 percent. However, compared to Germany, Brazil also has geographical conditions that favor this. The vast country is characterized by large rivers fed by the Amazon rainforest, whose hydroelectric power plants make a significant contribution to electricity generation.
Hydropower has been criticized in Brazil for decades – for example, large dams have negative impacts on ecosystems and indigenous communities. However, the Brazilian president did not mention this in his speech. Outside the venue, there were some demonstrators, for example, pointing to the rights of indigenous peoples.
(Image:Â Martin Fischer)
In his speech to industry representatives, Chancellor Merz addressed the current energy crisis, which is based on the conflict over the Strait of Hormuz. Merz announced that the National Security Council would be convened “promptly” for consultations on the energy crisis. “German industry and citizens must be able to rely on the supply of essential products such as diesel, gasoline, and aviation fuel remaining secure,” said Merz. However, the Chancellor did not outline concrete measures in his speech. He merely referred to “all available instruments” that could be used if necessary.
Merz emphasized the importance of Brazil for Germany, as well as the importance of the Mercosur agreement. Germany and Brazil want to cooperate more closely in trade, defense, digitalization, and research.
(Image:Â Martin Fischer / heise medien)
Meanwhile, German industry is hoping for tangible reforms. The President of the Electrical and Digital Industries Association (ZVEI), Gunther Kegel, called on politicians to act and demanded effective reforms and less bureaucracy. Accenture CEO Julie Sweet, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of self-innovation to the assembled industry leaders: “I would ask you to ask yourselves the following question. A question that I often ask myself and also repeatedly put on the agenda for the management team. Ask yourselves what you have done in your company or administration today that is completely different from what you did 12 months ago.” (mfi)
