Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has publicly urged the governing coalition in Berlin to initiate swift and comprehensive reforms, warning that failure to do so risks the functional paralysis of entire states. Speaking to stern, the CDU politician criticized the current approach, stating that “piecemeal fixes will not help us”. Kretschmer demanded a fundamental change from the black-red coalition, declaring, “We cannot simply continue tinkering with existing frameworks; we need an entirely new toolbox”. He also criticized the SPD and associated trade unions, asserting that “class struggle rhetoric will not progress our efforts”.
The regional leader issued a stark warning about potential failures in the ongoing reform process, cautioning that such setbacks could significantly aid the far-right AfD party. He warned that any continuation of this trajectory could have “fatal consequences” during the state elections scheduled for September, ultimately placing the ability of several states to govern in serious doubt.
Kretschmer expressed deep frustration with the existing reform mechanisms in general. Regarding specific new projects, he stressed that the initiatives must not repeat the failings of the previous social state reforms. He pointed out that the potential savings from these programs are nowhere near enough to relieve the intense financial pressure faced by local governments. He stressed that the Federal Government must make a definitive choice: either it accepts the necessity of cutting benefits that barely existed ten years ago, or it must approve the provision of the 30 billion Euros currently missing from municipal budgets.
