Christian Sewing, chief executive of Deutsche Bank, said that office workers-particularly older employees-should be allowed to work longer. Speaking to “Welt am Sonntag”, he explained that for desk jobs it is necessary to discuss extending the working life.
Sewing argued that society as a whole must work more. He suggested reviewing whether dismissal‑protection limits for higher earners are appropriate and urged politicians to examine the sick‑leave issue. He pointed out that the average number of sick days in Germany is two to three times higher than in Switzerland, which he said is unacceptable.
Fast reforms, according to Sewing, are essential for future election results. “If people see that problems are solved and, at the end, more money stays in their wallets, the shift toward nationalism can be prevented” he said. “But we have to be honest: to achieve this we must adapt and be willing to endure pain over the next three to five years”.
He warned that a first AfD minister‑premier emerging after the autumn state elections could send a negative signal to international investors. “If this is part of a broader movement that radiates and, say, blocks Germany through the Bundesrat, it would be devastating” he stressed. “Germany cannot afford that”. He said it is therefore vital to hold honest debates about the country’s future now.
In September 2026, state‑parliament elections will take place in Saxony‑Anhalt and Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania, where the AfD currently leads in opinion polls.