After the state election in Rhineland‑Palatinate, Schleswig‑Holstein’s premier Daniel Günther, a member of the CDU, urged the federal government to push forward with rapid reforms. “Now is the time to tackle the problems head‑on” he told the news portal Politico.
Günther read the AfD’s strong showing as a warning signal. “It clearly shows that many people are demanding reforms” he said. He also called on the SPD to learn from the result, pointing out the party’s weaker connection with workers.
When describing possible actions, Günther mentioned measures to ease the burden on citizens but underscored the urgent need for major reforms in key areas. “We also have to tackle substantial changes in the social sphere-pensions, nursing‑care insurance, and healthcare” he added.
According to Günther, the federal government’s capacity for reform is fundamentally there. He cited Bärbel Bas and Lars Klingbeil as expressing “a willingness to take necessary steps”. “I think this can only be a conclusion for the Social Democrats” he remarked. He then held his own party to account: “What I said about the SPD also applies to us in the Union. We must now deliver” he said, looking ahead to the upcoming state elections.