Carsten Linnemann, the secretary‑general of the CDU, urged politicians to lead by example when the country embarks on its upcoming structural reforms. Speaking to Stern, he said it is clear that politicians must also contribute to these reforms. He has long held that politicians should plan for their own retirement, either privately or through the statutory pension system. Although that does not resolve the overall pension system’s future, he views it as an important signal.
Linnemann outlined concrete proposals for the health sector. He wants to curb the number of elective surgeries and tighten restrictions on visitors to emergency departments. “Too many people come to the emergency department for non‑urgent problems, such as a cold. Everyone knows that this is wrong – we have to change it, for everyone” he said.
He also noted that Germany performs too many inpatient operations. In other countries, procedures like gallbladder removal or hernia repair are routinely carried out on an outpatient basis. In Germany they often take place in hospitals because of distorted incentives, and that, too, will have to change – for everyone.
