The Greens have asked for a “current‑hour debate” in the Bundestag to discuss the ruling coalition’s economic wing’s proposal to limit employees’ legal right to part‑time work. Irene Mihalic, the Greens’ parliamentary chief, told “T‑Online” on Tuesday that the federal government and parties supporting the proposal must give a clear statement in Parliament about whether they will follow what she calls the “no‑confidence motion of the Mittelstandsunion on workers’ willingness to work”.
Mihalic accused the Union of “paternalistic politics” that would have serious economic consequences. She said the implicit accusation that millions of people are lazy and uncommitted is not just baseless rudeness but exposes the CDU and the Mittelstandsunion’s condescension and detachment from everyday life. Instead of addressing the real problems faced by people raising children or caring for relatives, the CDU allegedly erects barriers that make life even harder for those individuals.
According to the Greens, the “lifestyle vilification” by the Mittelstandsunion is a “blow to the face” of millions of part‑time workers. They argue that the idea of part‑time employment remaining a privilege granted only by the “favor of the CDU” is alien to reality, forcing many to work full‑time or abandon their careers entirely.
The paper that surfaced over the weekend, titled “No Legal Right to Lifestyle‑Part‑Time” calls for a reform of the part‑time guarantee. It proposes that the right should only apply when a special justification exists, such as raising children or caring for relatives. The proposal drew criticism not only from opposition parties but also from within the Union’s own ranks.