German Vice Chancellor defends government reforms, acknowledges citizen burdens

German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has defended his government's reform agenda, acknowledging that the proposed changes will bring burdens to all citizens. Speaking in an ARD summer interview, Klingbeil stated that these reforms are necessary due to a "20-year backlog" of delayed initiatives.

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there will also be burdens for everyone

He explained that the coalition government, comprising the CDU, CSU, and SPD, is now addressing these overdue renewals to create fiscal space and modernize the country. Klingbeil specifically mentioned that increased defense spending, including the rearmament and modernization of the Bundeswehr, necessitates new borrowing. He argued that Germany cannot defend itself against Russian President Vladimir Putin with a "black zero" fiscal policy, which aims for a balanced budget.

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20 years of reforms have been postponed

Klingbeil also addressed criticism regarding the planned reform of sick leave regulations. He suggested a pragmatic approach to implementation in parliament, emphasizing that while he personally trusts employees, the coalition has agreed on a specific path. He proposed solutions that would allow employees to avoid coming to work sick and avoid the need to drag themselves to the doctor. Furthermore, he suggested that collective bargaining partners or companies should have the flexibility to arrange sick leave policies as they see fit.

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we need to bring many things in this country up to scratch again