Jochen Ott, the top candidate for the SPD in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), has voiced criticisms regarding his party’s federal politics. Speaking to RTL, he stated that he is “annoyed by parts of the SPD’s politics in Berlin.” He observed that the federal level is currently in a truly difficult phase, and this instability is negatively impacting North Rhine-Westphalia.
Ott, who is running for the office of Minister-President, intends to put “working families at the center” of policy within the state. He strongly rejected the proposals to abolish the retirement age of 63, labeling them an outrage. He found it ridiculous to debate a retirement age of 63 when, currently, the retirement age is already considered to be 64.5. His focus is on people who have contributed for 45 years and who have mostly done physical labor. “People simply cannot do it anymore,” Ott commented. Comparing this to his university days, he noted that many of his friends who are now tradespeople had only contributed for ten years. He described the notion that retirement after 45 years is a social good as an insult.
Furthermore, Ott advised the “Berlin bubble” to speak the language of the everyday people-those who gather daily in pubs and sports clubs. He stressed the need to genuinely listen to what citizens have to say.
