Before the coalition committee meeting on Tuesday in Berlin, Bärbel Bas (SPD) is under scrutiny for her comments on the relationship between immigration and the social system. Employers are urging the Federal Minister of Labor to implement swift reforms to alleviate the pressures on the system.
Steffen Kampeter, the Chief Executive of the Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA), stated to "Bild" that Bas must act now: "Germany needs a concrete pension plan." He criticized that the reduction of federal subsidies, combined with higher contributions, leads to lower net income and increased labor costs.
Kampeter also demanded that Bas present a bill to stabilize pension financing without further increasing labor costs. Additionally, the planned reform of the Working Hours Act must be implemented quickly to avoid another political misstep.
Bas's statement that "no one immigrates into our social systems" faced sharp criticism. Stephan Mayer, the CSU's interior expert, emphasized that immigration into the welfare state threatens social cohesion. He pointed out that an increasing number of immigrants are entering the social system, pushing it to its limits.
Hesse's Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) also expressed concerns, stating that too many immigrants are entering the social system rather than the labor market, which poses a serious burden on society.
