CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann has clear expectations for the upcoming meeting involving employers, unions, and politicians scheduled for Wednesday evening. Speaking to RTL and ntv, Linnemann stressed that all participants must start from the same premises: the economy needs to be revitalized.
The CDU politician emphasized that Germany possesses intellectual capital rather than natural resources, declaring, “We don’t have natural treasures; we have what’s in our heads, and we need to use that.” He believes concerted effort and a focus on competitiveness are essential for moving forward. Linnemann suggests that if everyone agreed on the need for better competitiveness and shared ideas regarding potential measures-specifically concerning taxes, energy, and bureaucracy-they would have made significant progress.
Although listening to each other is vital, Linnemann noted that history demonstrates that ultimately, politics bears the responsibility for the decisions. He added that neither unions nor employer associations would necessarily be satisfied with every topic. Despite the ultimate role of political decision-making, he maintains that social partnership remains a high priority in Germany. He stresses that the effort must move beyond mere conversation toward formulating a clear path forward.
When questioned about whether all contentious issues-such as pension reform, tax changes, healthcare reform, working hours, and bureaucratic reduction-could be addressed in the three-hour session, Linnemann responded that solving everything in that timeframe was unlikely. While he concluded that any outcome is welcome, an all-night session is not realistic. He estimates that the meeting will likely wrap up around 11:00 PM.
