III · 04 Record — Achievements
Delivered, planned, open
A record is more than a list of successes. This page sorts the evidence into four categories, so that a passed law is not confused with an announcement and an announcement is not confused with a result.
Documented achievements 05
Decisions taken or laws passed, verifiable in official records.
Elected four times
Direct mandate in Straubing in 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2025 (Federal Returning Officer).
Finance Committee chair
Elected 15 December 2021 and chaired the committee through the 20th Bundestag.
Agricultural diesel refund
Full refund restored by Bundestag vote on 6 November 2025, in force from 1 January 2026.
Wolf in hunting law
Passed 5 March 2026, in force April 2026.
2026 agriculture budget
€6.99 billion, passed 27 November 2025.
Policy goals 03
Stated aims without a measurable outcome yet.
Rebuild trust with farmers
Theme of the June 2026 question time. There is no agreed metric for it.
More agricultural exports
Export strategy of December 2025. New market openings remain to be seen.
Stronger rural communities
Heimat agenda of July 2026. The first Heimat report is still to come.
Ongoing reforms 04
Started, but not concluded.
Animal Welfare Act amendment
First reading 9 July 2026, now in parliamentary deliberation.
Bureaucracy rollback
Nutrient-balance regulation ended. A further package is in preparation.
Livestock-housing label
Start postponed to 1 January 2027, and to July 2027 for restaurants and canteens.
Drought liquidity aid
Around €1 billion announced in September 2026, with implementation under way.
Still under debate 04
Contested questions without a settled answer.
Financing better barns
Federal conversion programme phased out. Long-term financing is open.
CAP after 2027
EU negotiations on structure, budget and capping continue.
Mercosur in practice
Whether the safeguard clauses protect sensitive sectors.
Seasonal labour costs
No exemption from the minimum wage. Cost pressure on fruit and vegetable farms remains.
Sources are given on the linked chapters: Bundestag, Agriculture Policy, Major Initiatives, Animal Welfare, European Agriculture.
How we decide what counts
An item is listed as a documented achievement only if a decision has formally been taken, such as a law passed, a budget adopted or an election won, and can be checked in an official record. It does not mean the decision is good. That judgement belongs to readers, and the arguments are on the criticism page.
Policy goals are aims the government has stated. Ongoing reforms have begun but are not complete. Under debate collects questions where evidence and political judgement still diverge.
This page reflects the record as of October 2026.