In May 2025, Germany created a new federal ministry for digital affairs and state modernization. Its minister is Karsten Wildberger, the former head of the electronics retailer MediaMarktSaturn. In a dpa interview in January 2026, he described the national habit: Wir stellen oft zuerst die Frage nach den Risiken. (We often ask about the risks first.) He said he wished Germany would rediscover the enthusiasm for the new and for technology that had always defined it. In the same interview he spoke about the coming digital ID on the phone. He said he would keep his physical ID card: Es ist immer gut, noch ein Backup zu haben. (It is always good to have a backup.)