Christian Social Union leader Markus Söder has drawn a line through proposals to abolish Germany's minijob system, declaring that the low-wage employment model will be preserved despite pressure from coalition reform plans.
The pension commission of the governing coalition recommended folding minijobs — currently capped at 603 euros monthly — into the statutory pension system and stripping their special status, with exceptions only for students. The coalition partners had pledged to implement the recommendations largely as written. However, Söder argued the sectors relying on minijob workers — hospitality, retail, and agriculture — would suffer without them. A broad alliance of business associations also warned the government against eliminating or raising the cost of minijobs in an open letter.
Söder instead identified ending early retirement at 63 and introducing capital-funded pensions as the priority reforms. The Social Association of Germany dismissed his stance as backward-looking.