Klaus Reinhardt, President of the German Medical Association, has accused the AfD party of politically instrumentalizing the physician shortage and the influx of foreign doctors. While Reinhardt conceded that finding a doctor has become more challenging in certain regions, he stated in interviews with the Funke Media Group that “uncertainty and political instrumentalization do not make things better, but worse, regardless of what political direction they come from.”
The AfD frequently elevates the deficit of doctors, particularly in rural areas, into a central campaign theme. As elections are approaching in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in September, Reinhardt emphasized that the medical community and patients in these affected regions “deserve meaningful and realistic solutions.” He noted, however, that there are often doctors in these areas who are working “far beyond their capacity limits and are very popular among the public.”
Reinhardt also strongly criticized the demand from the AfD state association in Saxony-Anhalt to prioritize “medical students instead of imported doctors.” He dismissed such demands as “trite, highly simplistic exaggerations.” Although Germany certainly needs sufficient university places for medical studies, he stressed that it must also be possible for foreign medical professionals to work in the country.
He pointed out that foreign doctors are already indispensable today. When asked about Germany’s dependency on them, Reinhardt affirmed that this reliance is “very significant in certain structures.” Many foreign colleagues work in hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and outpatient care, especially in rural areas, and “are urgently needed.” Furthermore, he highlighted the presence of highly qualified foreign doctors holding leadership positions. “Medicine is a global science that connects professionals all over the world. It is beneficial that we can profit from one another across borders,” he added.
Therefore, beyond increasing the number of medical school spots, the core need lies in improving structural systems. Reinhardt stated that Germany must secure high-level patient care within an aging society that operates with limited human and financial resources. He concluded by assuring readers that they would support the incoming Health Minister in these efforts.
