The CDU’s economic wing has proposed removing the fundamental right to part‑time work, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from members of the party itself.
Dennis Radtke, chairman of the CDU’s social wing, told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group during its Monday edition that such a limitation would “shave the horse from the wrong side”. He added that many people who are trapped in part‑time jobs would appreciate the chance to return to full‑time employment. However, he stressed that improving conditions for child care and elder care is essential to make that possible, as these requirements currently make a full‑time transition unfeasible for some families.
According to a report in “Stern”, the economic faction intends to overturn the statutory right to part‑time work. A draft resolution titled “No Legal Right to Lifestyle Part‑Time” is planned for adoption at the party conference at the end of February. The draft, supported by the Mittelstands‑ und Wirtschaftsunion (MIT), argues that a right to part‑time work should be granted only under “special circumstances”. Those circumstances could include child‑raising, caring for relatives, or pursuing further education. Radtke points out that voluntary part‑time work without caregiving obligations would no longer be permissible under this proposal.
He cautioned that deviating from the CDU’s existing policy-i.e., limiting part‑time work to care for children or elders-would require specifying the age and care level for which such time off is deemed necessary. “Each family should be able to decide for itself” Radtke said, “and for good reasons, the CDU has always advocated maximal freedom of choice”.