Union leader Michael Vassiliadis has sharply criticized the federal government, particularly Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), criticizing its overall communication strategy. Speaking to “Der Spiegel”, the chairman of the industry union for Mining, Chemistry, and Energy (IGBCE) stated that the government needs to explain proposed reforms in a much clearer manner. He noted that a better explanation would significantly increase the public’s willingness to accept changes, adding that “the people are not stupid; they know that change is necessary”.
Vassiliadis urged Merz to learn from the communication abilities of his predecessors. He pointed to Gerhard Schröder, who guided the passage of Agenda 2010. According to Vassiliadis, Schröder successfully presented a convincing rationale-the goal of reducing the number of unemployed individuals from 5.5 million at the time-and subsequently initiated a necessary, albeit painful, process that challenged his own political base. He concluded that, much like Schröder did, the CDU must now exhibit strong leadership as the ruling party.
More broadly, Vassiliadis argued that Merz must work with unions, professional associations, and other stakeholders to construct a positive and comprehensive narrative about the future of both the country and the German economy. He asserted that the government needed to offer the public more than just the vague vision of having “many wind turbines” and that vague pronouncements enough to address all future topics.
While acknowledging that the debate over current reform proposals is necessary, Vassiliadis criticized how the coalition is currently handling the discussion. He argues that the government should cease campaigning and start governing seriously. Instead, government ministers are reportedly engaging in political diversions, discussing topics like “lifestyle part-time work” or the Chancellor complaining about people being frequently ill, rather than providing a rational explanation of the required institutional changes.
Regarding the specific draft legislation for health reforms, the unionist said that more creative proposals for cost savings are needed before placing the burden on individual contributors. Providing a concrete example, Vassiliadis suggested that the government could abolish VAT on medicines. This change, he added, would financially benefit the health insurance funds while also helping long-term patients who currently bear costs for their prescriptions out-of-pocket.
