The CDU’s secretariat chief, Carsten Linnemann, urged colleagues to lead by example as Germany prepares its next wave of structural reforms. He told the newspaper “Stern” that politicians themselves must contribute to the changes ahead, particularly in the area of retirement security. “I have always believed that politicians need to plan for their own future, either privately or through the statutory pension system” he said, acknowledging that this alone does not resolve the future of the pension scheme but nevertheless represents an important signal.
Linnemann also outlined specific proposals for a health‑care overhaul. He called for a reduction in the number of operations and a curb on unnecessary visits to emergency departments. “Too many people go to the emergency room not because of an actual emergency but for something as simple as a cold” he said. “Everyone agrees that this is unacceptable. We need to change it-for everyone”.
Similarly, he criticised the high rate of inpatient surgeries in Germany. “In other countries, gall‑bladder or hernia operations are often done on an outpatient basis, but in Germany they are frequently performed in the hospital because of misplaced financial incentives” Linnemann explained. “That system must also change-for everyone”.