Commentary: The state's participation in Telekom has never been as important as it is today.
Washington and Beijing are deliberately using corporations as a means of exerting power. Germany has a corporation in Telekom that it can influence - for now. A merger could change that.
The German state's stake in Deutsche Telekom is more crucial now than ever. The government holds a significant portion of shares, both directly and indirectly, controlling 28.6 percent of the company. This is not a relic of state capitalism, but a vital asset in today's world. Berlin should not relinquish this leverage, yet that could be a possibility.
The telecom giant is planning a merger with its US subsidiary, which could result in the creation of the world's largest telecommunications company. This power could tempt the company to challenge major tech giants, and in the process, dilute the Bundesanteil. The German state could lose its influence as the company transforms into a global entity with German roots.
This could be detrimental at a time when the US and China are reshaping geo and economic policy, using national companies as a potent force.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
