A senior figure within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is advocating for the current coalition government to draw inspiration from the policy approaches of former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder when considering upcoming labor market reforms.
Carsten Linnemann, General Secretary of the CDU and responsible for labor and social policy within the Union parliamentary group, emphasized the potential window of opportunity for reform in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. He highlighted a historical pattern, noting that necessary reforms are often delayed until a nation faces significant pressure. He specifically pinpointed the early 2000s, when Germany had over five million unemployed, as a comparable juncture.
Linnemann referenced the “Agenda 2010” a series of reforms implemented at that time under Schröder’s leadership. He underscored Schröder’s execution of structural labor market changes under the banner of “promoting and demanding” describing it as “courageous”. He suggested that a similar level of boldness is required now.
The CDU General Secretary reiterated his call for a period of “genuine structural reforms” in the areas of labor market and social policy during the autumn months.