Saxony-Anhalt's Minister President Sven Schulze has insisted on the states' right to have a say in planned social reforms. He called for close coordination and special consideration of East German concerns. He made these statements in an interview with Germany's Editorial Network (RND).
Saxony-Anhalt's Minister President Sven Schulze, a CDU politician, emphasized in an interview with Germany's Editorial Network (RND) the need for a coordinated process involving the states. "We need a coordinated procedure, together with the states. Because we have a say in matters that must be deliberated in the Bundesrat," he said. He warned against ending up with only the lowest common denominator.
Schulze declined to comment on specific reform proposals but demanded speed. "Above all, it must go quickly. What we can't use is weeks of back and forth," the head of government stated. A state election is scheduled in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6.
The East German situation must be particularly considered, Schulze stressed. "The East is structured differently in many areas. Here, the vast majority of pensioners receive only statutory pensions. And those retiring in the coming years can no longer save privately," he said. Moreover, average salaries in Saxony-Anhalt are several hundred euros below the West German level, so the middle class should not face additional burdens.
At the federal level, reforms are currently being discussed in areas such as health insurance, pensions, and income tax.