Thuringia’s Minister President Mario Voigt has publicly called for the repeal of Germany’s recently implemented cannabis law, ahead of the presentation of a coalition government evaluation report scheduled for Monday. Voigt, of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), stated that the law represents a “fundamentally incorrect approach” and that attempting to refine it through micro-management is unproductive. He emphasized that a thorough re-evaluation of its overall appropriateness for Germany is necessary, asserting that the existing legislation is simply not functioning.
Beyond the cannabis law, Voigt is also pressing the federal government to accelerate planned social reforms, particularly concerning unemployment benefits and pensions. He highlighted the strain on municipalities due to escalating social welfare costs, specifically referencing integration assistance regulated under the Participation Act. Voigt argued that the current framework contains flawed assumptions, resulting in rapidly increasing expenses. He urged the government to finalize reforms by January 1st, emphasizing the need to reduce labor costs, ensure affordable energy and streamline bureaucracy.
Addressing the issue of rental costs for unemployment benefit recipients, Voigt suggested the potential implementation of a rent cap as a means of mitigating public confusion arising from the reimbursement of high rents without clear limitations. He believes that establishing binding rules, including a fixed rent ceiling and guidelines for housing size, is essential to prevent perceived injustices and bolster public support for the system. Currently, job centers in various cities establish their own limits.
Furthermore, Voigt expressed support for broadening Germany’s retirement planning landscape. While acknowledging that the current state pension system alone will be insufficient in the future, he advocated for a combined approach encompassing private savings, company-based models and innovative options such as a stock-linked pension. He drew attention to the success of such combined systems in other countries, suggesting they promote stability in retirement planning.
