The Paritätische welfare association has rejected calls for an “Agenda 2030” in ongoing debates surrounding welfare state reform, cautioning against unilateral cuts.
Joachim Rock, chief executive of the Paritätische Gesamtverband, stated in comments provided to the Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, “We don’t need an Agenda 2030, but a policy that acts solution-oriented and socially responsible in 2025”. Rock highlighted widespread public dissatisfaction, citing difficulties in accessing medical care, the increasingly unaffordable cost of quality care and the low average level of retirement benefits, currently standing at just €1,100. He warned that “unilateral cuts will exacerbate insecurity and open the door for extremists and populists.
The calls for an “Agenda 2030” follow discussions between the governing coalition parties, the CDU and SPD, regarding potential welfare state reforms. Carsten Linnemann, General Secretary of the CDU, had previously suggested that reforms should mirror the “Agenda 2010” initiated by Gerhard Schröder.
Rock urged the government to demonstrate effectiveness by prioritizing collaborative policy development and achieving tangible social progress rather than inter-party obstruction. He advocated for measures that alleviate employee burdens, effectively combat poverty among the elderly and within families and improve pathways to employment. He further emphasized the necessity of establishing a “financially broader and fairer” welfare system, adding that the government bears responsibility not only for internal and external affairs, but also for social security.