Social cuts | Shorten until it cracks

There have been protests against social cuts and conscription for months. The DGB unions are planning rallies in 15 major cities this Saturday. Photo: dpa/Frank Hammerschmidt On Sunday, Friedrich Merz appeared before the press shortly after 6 p.m. At this point it is already clear that the CDU has suffered a defeat in the elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The Chancellor nevertheless declares that he wants to continue as before: "The reforms have to come."

Merz stands for a business-friendly, market-liberal policy in which social benefits - unlike defense spending - are seen as a burden. The black-red “reforms” in the social sector are usually about limiting or cutting spending.

The coalition has already decided to wind down the Citizens' Money Act from 2023 and to introduce even stricter sanctions than in the Hartz era. Since July, basic security for people affected by poverty can be completely canceled if people miss three appointments.

Health insurance companies should receive much less money from the federal government.

The major austerity law in the healthcare system followed in the summer. Accordingly, the expenses of statutory health insurance may only increase in the future as much as the contribution income. Here too, improvements that were recently decided are to be reversed. At the same time, the federal government has severely cut tax funding for health insurance companies: next year, the health insurance companies will receive 4.3 billion euros less than they currently do. Loans to statutory nursing care insurance will also be reduced. Overall, the Ministry of Health's budget will fall by 34 percent. It is expected to remain at this reduced level until 2030. Further cuts are planned. From housing benefit to care – the government wants to weaken social protection at every turn.

A business-friendly policy also includes restricting the rights of employees. Specifically, Black-Red wants to further weaken the eight-hour day, although longer daily working hours are already possible today. A draft bill from the Ministry of Labor in June stipulates that a maximum weekly working time can be agreed in collective agreements. But that doesn't go far enough for the CDU; it insists on further restrictions on working hours. In July, the coalition leaders agreed to allow more fixed-term employment contracts. Accordingly, in the future it should be possible for an employee to receive a fixed-term employment contract six times in a row, always with the same company. The company does not have to give a reason for the limitation. This chain limitation should last up to four years. Trade unions in particular reject this.

Many people also criticize the black-red austerity measures in social policy, including progressive economists and social researchers, as well as social associations and the Left. There is also now opposition from the government parties, especially the SPD. The DGB unions are now calling for protests in 15 major cities this Saturday.

Some cuts plans have stalled. But there is no sign of a turnaround. We have therefore put together a selection of the planned projects in the social sector and use two examples to illustrate the consequences of the major austerity law that has been passed in the healthcare system. Employees in child and youth welfare describe how precarious the situation already is, before the planned savings.

The »nd.Genossenschaft« belongs to the people who make it possible: our readers and authors. They are the ones who ensure left-wing journalism for everyone with their contribution: without profit maximization, media companies or tech billionaires.

→ report independently and critically → make topics visible that would otherwise go unnoticed → make voices heard that are often ignored → counter disinformation with facts → initiate and deepen left-wing debates

“Pay voluntarily” now and support the financing of our solidarity-based newspaper. So that nd remains.