When economy meets democracy

Liberal democracy and the social market economy are key prerequisites for business activity. Strengthening them is therefore also an entrepreneurial responsibility. In 2026, Prognos once again sponsored the essay prize organised by the Zentrum Liberale Moderne and WirtschaftsWoche. The Hertie Foundation was another sponsoring partner.

The  “Economy and Democracy” essay prize provides a platform for young voices to explore the relationship between democracy, society and the economy. The competition was open to authors from academia, business, the media and civil society.

This year’s prize-winners were honoured in Berlin on 3 November. Prognos CEO Christian Böllhoff was a member of the jury, which comprised figures from politics, academia, business and journalism. The 2026 essay prize was awarded to Prof Dr Sebastian Huhnholz for his essay on “The Future of Tax Liability” (see picture above, from left: Ursula Weidenfeld, Sebastian Huhnholz and Susanne Nasr). The prizes in the RisingMinds category went to Phillip Neudert for his piece “The Pied Piper” and Maria Horn Hötrich for her piece “The Invisible Giant.” The winning entries will be published in WirtschaftsWoche.

Why we are committed

As a research and consultancy firm, we approach social and economic issues primarily through data and facts. Essays take a different approach: they rely on language, arguments and fresh perspectives.

The question of how democracy and the economy are linked requires both. That is why we support the essay prize and, through it, an open debate on the responsibilities of business in a democratic society.

Links and downloads

Further information on the essay prize (LibMod website, in German)