Saarland Minister-President Anke Rehlinger (SPD) has called upon the federal government to approach major reform projects in a disciplined and cooperative manner. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, Rehlinger stated that it is entirely realistic to launch all central reform packages-covering health, care, pension insurance, and the tax system-within the current year. She emphasized that success hinges on shared accountability: “When everyone recognizes their responsibility to the bigger picture, stays calm, and talks more together than against each other, it will succeed. Smart and fair reforms will not fail at the SPD”.
The politician identified three key reform missions required for the country. First, she demanded the resolution of decades-long investment deficiencies in the infrastructure, calling for a major injection of funds via dedicated special funds. Second, she stressed that the federal government and the states must collaboratively modernize administration and significantly reduce bureaucracy. Third, the focus must be on a comprehensive overhaul of the social security systems.
Rehlinger warned that failure to act will result in a dramatic increase in contributions, which citizens will feel severely in their personal finances. Concluding with a view of the governing black-and-red coalition, she acknowledged the difficulty of the task while asserting the necessity of shared responsibility: “Nobody promised that this would be easy, but that is what it is when you bear responsibility for our country”.
