Yasmin Fahimi, the Chairwoman of the German Trade Union Union (DGB), has strongly criticized the federal government, accusing it of excluding social partners-including both labor unions and employers-from essential reform discussions. Speaking to the format “Spitzengespräch” of “Der Spiegel”, Fahimi stated that while the unions have put forth numerous proposals concerning state modernization, industrial policy, and economics, these contributions are not being given sufficient weight.
She lamented that in central governmental committees, social partners are having little say. Fahimi highlighted that in both the pension and finance commissions, as well as discussions on health and other major areas, the involvement of both employers and unions is practically absent. She noted that current participation is severely limited, often restricted only to brief comment periods.
The DGB leader warned that this approach is detrimental to both the quality and the public acceptance of any major reform measures. Fahimi emphasized that policy-making cannot be conducted solely within an academic sphere; instead, genuine change requires addressing “many different changes” and pursuing “common initiatives”. For successful reform, she stressed the necessity of achieving a broader societal consensus through open public debates.
Finally, Fahimi concluded with a clear demand directed at the governing coalition. She called for a much deeper and more intensive exchange of views with the union. She asserted that merely holding short, structured comment sessions, as has been done in the past, is insufficient. She stated that the current process “cannot possibly work” given the exclusion of meaningful participation.
