Ironically, in the phase in which it comes to the final funding commitments of Germany for the construction of two Intel plants in Magdeburg, the chip giant comes up with miserable business figures. The reported record loss is grist to the mill of all critics, for whom the taxpayer's funding of almost 7 billion euros granted so far is already far too high.
The fact that Intel is now demanding a second helping, not only seems brazen to some competitors, who do it elsewhere for significantly less. In Berlin, too, doubts are circulating as to whether the consideration is still in the right proportion.
One thing is certain: both sides need a positive conclusion to the talks. For politicians in Berlin and Magdeburg, a failure of Germany's largest single investment would be a powerful blow to the office, but even the counted Intel boss Pat Gelsinger can hardly afford to break out a supporting building block from his global strategy.
Which, by the way, with all the gambling, in the poker for the billions in funding, also indicates little: Intel is eagerly looking for personnel for Magdeburg, where work on the infrastructure of the giant construction site begins. The cards are on the table.