While average wages have increased across the board compared to the previous year, the disparity between east and west has grown in absolute figures In 2023, full-time employees in western Germany earned an average gross salary of €60,798, compared to €48,023 in the east – a difference of €12,775 In 2024, the western average rose to €63,999, while the eastern average reached €50,625, widening the gap to €13,375
Regional variations within Germany are also evident Full-time employees in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia reported the lowest average earnings at €46,708 and €46,720 respectively, while those in Hesse and Hamburg earned the most, averaging €62,915 and €62,517
Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the BSW, stated that wages for regular workers in Germany are generally too low, exacerbated by government-driven inflation She characterized the €13,374 wage difference for full-time employees in the east as a “shameful balance sheet” three and a half decades after reunification
The BSW intends to prioritize addressing this 21 percent wage gap, particularly in eastern Germany The party advocates for wage increases combined with reductions in taxes and social security contributions for low and middle-income earners
