Johannes Winkel, chairman of the Junge Union, is increasing pressure on the coalition partner SPD in the debate over social reforms. In an interview with the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” he explained that the governing coalition has already yielded substantial concessions to the SPD twice: first through the special fund for infrastructure and later with the pension package. Because the SPD has made these financial contributions, Winkel says citizens should expect that extensive reforms will follow within the same year.
The social state, he argues, needs to become more efficient. By applying a “sustainability factor” and setting clear priorities, he believes the government could save tens of billions of euros each year on social benefits that many people do not actually need or want. He proposes reinstating the sustainability factor in the pension insurance system and extending it to other social insurance schemes, thereby achieving a fair distribution of costs across generations. He also criticized the so‑called “mother pension” noting that it benefits only a small group of mothers-typically the poorest-who have their benefits offset against other welfare payments. According to Winkel, this approach is irrational, and the federal government should not fear imposing burdens on people, as long as those burdens are shared fairly.
When asked about demands from the Mittelstandsunion to abolish part‑time work rights, Winkel declined. He said the focus should instead be on creating incentives that encourage people to transition from part‑time to full‑time employment. The Junge Union is also advocating for a revised marital‑splitting system, turning it into a genuine family‑splitting model that ties the income‑tax rate to the number of children. This, he contends, would make it attractive for families to have many children while also maintaining full‑time work, an approach he views as essential in the current demographic and economic climate.
