German politician Ines Schwerdtner, the leader of the Left party, has called for a more equitable distribution of income to finance social insurance, in response to a proposal by Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil to reform the social security system.
Schwerdtner, in an interview with the Rheinische Post, criticized Klingbeil’s approach, saying that instead of proposing cuts in benefits and increased contributions for workers, the minister should consider increasing income to fund the social insurance system. She accused Klingbeil of lacking the courage to implement his own ideas, citing the example of his cabinet colleague, Bas, who had previously proposed a pension reform.
Schwerdtner also questioned Klingbeil’s commitment to his own party’s goals, suggesting that he may be more aligned with the views of Labor Minister, Merz, who has advocated for personal responsibility and self-organization. The Left party leader interpreted Merz’s “Eigenverantwortung” as a code for “those who can afford it, organize themselves and those who have little, just look on.”
Schwerdtner proposed a more straightforward solution, advocating for a higher contribution limit, the inclusion of capital income and the extension of the assessment base for social insurance contributions. According to her, this approach would quickly provide more funds for the social insurance system, without unduly burdening those who are already financially strained.