Merz's labour law shake-up: End of the eight-hour day?
Friedrich Merz, who is set to become the new Chancellor, plans to abolish the eight-hour working day in Germany. The new CDU/CSU and SPD coalition government is planning a labour law reform.
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU, plans to abolish the eight-hour working day in Germany, which is provoking mixed reactions.
Is it the end of the eight-hour working day in Germany?
The new CDU/CSU and SPD coalition government, which is set to take power on 6 May, is introducing changes that may affect the traditional approach to working hours. According to the portal wa.de, Merz wants to introduce a weekly limit on working hours.
These changes are aimed at increasing flexibility in work organisation.
"In a 40-hour work week, employees could work ten hours a day from Monday to Thursday and have Friday off. Alternatively, they could work more than 12 hours from Monday to Wednesday and then have five days off," the German portal reports.
The CDU and SPD coalition government, with Merz as the candidate for Chancellor, is focused on economic reforms aimed at strengthening Germany in the face of global challenges.
Germany finalises agreement on the new government
The leaders of the Christian Democratic and SPD parties presented the agreed coalition agreement at the beginning of April.
"We have completed a piece of difficult work, but before us is a solid plan," said Merz. The negotiated coalition agreement is a clear signal that "Germany is getting an action-capable, dynamic government," added the candidate for Chancellor.
The proposals that could contribute to increasing the labour supply are receiving the most praise from economists. This primarily includes tax incentives for overtime work and for working beyond retirement age. Additionally, the criteria for granting citizen's income (known as Bürgergeld) are to be tightened so that it does not discourage employment. By mid-term, the new government also plans to reduce income taxes for people on low and middle incomes.
