Social Market Economy Award 2025 presented to Heike Göbel

On 2 September 2025, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation presented the Social Market Economy Award to Heike Göbel, Head of Economic Policy at the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, in the ballroom of the Senckenberg Jügelhaus in Frankfurt am Main.

Chairman Prof. Dr Norbert Lammert highlighted Göbel's outstanding economic policy journalism, but above all her ‘passionate’ approach: ‘This is the 22nd award and the first to go to a journalist. It was long overdue.’ In his opening speech, he emphasised that the debate about what is possible and what is impossible must be constantly renewed.

With her many years of journalistic work, Heike Göbel stands for a well-founded, independent and constructive examination of economic policy issues – an indispensable contribution to shaping public opinion and strengthening the social market economy, the jury explained in its award citation. Her work is always in the spirit of a free and responsible economic order. Her clear analyses emphasise the importance of personal responsibility and entrepreneurial freedom. They contribute significantly to anchoring the principles of the social market economy in public debate.

The laudatory speech was given by Karin Prien, Federal Minister for Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. She praised the award winner as ‘one of the outstanding liberal economic voices’ in our country and emphasised that ‘our democracy thrives on people who do not shy away from open discourse’.

‘I cannot imagine a democracy that functions without a free economic order,’ said the award winner, thanking the guests of the evening. The award encourages her to ‘keep going – to swim against the tide.’

The presentation of the certificate and commemorative coin was followed by a stimulating discussion between Heike Göbel and Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Christoph M. Schmidt, President of the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Essen and Fellow 2025 of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Together, they discussed the role of journalism and science in the social market economy.

Schmidt compared his favourite football club's championship ambitions with the welfare state's desire for reform – the motto is ‘next season’. Göbel also emphasised with regard to the social market economy: ‘The fruits are no longer so easy to recognise’. Nervousness is growing, especially in view of the challenges posed by digitalisation and the platform economy. Both agreed that bold steps were needed in response – towards the principles of the social market economy such as the competition regime.

‘The social market economy is designed as a market economy system that ensures social justice within itself,’ concluded jury chairman and KAS treasurer Dr Christoph Brand at the end of the evening. He paid tribute to the award winner with the words: ‘Reading the newspaper educates you every day. Reading Heike Göbel educates you even more.’

We would like to thank everyone involved for an inspiring evening and congratulate Heike Göbel on this well-deserved award!