Thorsten Frei advocates for abolishing the eight-hour workday

Thorsten Frei, chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, is advocating for the abolition of the standard eight-hour workday. He argues that, in accordance with the coalition agreement and European working time directives, the focus should shift toward a weekly maximum working time rather than a daily one to improve work-life balance.

In response, SPD factions, including the Jusos, have proposed specific conditions for such a change. Their strategy paper suggests that the abolition should only apply to companies with collective bargaining agreements and must be paired with mandatory electronic recording of working hours.

Additionally, Frei expressed skepticism regarding a proposed plastic tax introduced by Environment Minister Carsten Schneider and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, citing concerns over excessive bureaucratic costs. He also voiced disappointment regarding the scope of the planned income tax reform, stating that while measures for families and employees were agreed upon, further tax relief was desired.