Enzo Weber, a labor‑market researcher, criticized CSU leader Markus Söder’s proposal to add an extra hour of work each week. “The role of politics is not to dictate how long people should work, but to shape the framework, improve incentives, and provide support” Weber told the “Rheinische Post”. He said that would give workers the choice to decide for themselves.
Weber argues that Germany will lose many workers in the coming years because of demographic changes, so more working hours are needed. However, he believes the key levers lie elsewhere. “Policy should, for example, soften the tax progressivity for lower‑income earners and expand childcare and care services” he said. The research suggests there is much to gain if women’s career development during the child‑bearing years no longer stalls and if older workers can stay employed longer.
Speaking on Sunday on the ARD, Söder said: “An additional hour of work per week would bring us enormous economic growth and is really not too much to ask”.
