Several members of the SPD have sharply criticized the Wirtschafts- und Mittelstandsunion (MIT) for calling to abolish part‑time employment.
Annika Klose, the SPD’s social‑policy spokesperson, told “Der Spiegel” that “many people in Germany already work to their limits”. She warned that the Union’s proposals would only add pressure on workers, leading to higher burnout rates or early exit from the workforce. Klose added that it is right to eliminate perverse incentives like minijobs and marital‑splitting, but lamented that the MIT resorts to populism instead.
SPD MP Rasha Nasr echoed the criticism. “The right to part‑time work is not a luxury or a sign of lack of solidarity” she said. “It is essential for millions to balance careers, family, caregiving and health. Those who brand part‑timers as unsolidary misunderstand many people’s reality and devalue their contributions”.
Sebastian Roloff, the SPD’s economic policy spokesperson, also took a firm stance. He called the MIT’s proposal “ideology on the backs of workers” and warned that dropping benefits for part‑timers would not secure skilled labour. “We need more work volume in Germany” he said, adding that the path forward requires better childcare, genuine relief in care work, and incentives rather than sanctions.
