German Minister of Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche sparked public debate with her proposal that citizens work longer and more in order for the state to cope more easily with the challenges of an aging population and pension financing.

This initiative quickly received support from Employers' Association President Rainer Dulger, who praised the minister's honesty and emphasized that German society needs to acknowledge reality and face demographic challenges. Dulger believes that merely continuing current practice means betraying future generations and that greater effort is necessary to preserve economic prosperity, writes Fenix Magazin.

According to Minister Reiche, the current ratio between working life and retirement is not sustainable in the long term because, as she told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, it is not realistic to expect that we work only two thirds of our lives while spending one third in retirement. Although she claims that some employees show willingness to work longer, she warns of the need for a more open approach to the demographic changes Germany is facing.

Nevertheless, the proposal triggered fierce reactions within her own party as well, and CDU representatives say it is an uncoordinated and unfounded initiative. Critics from Christian Democratic ranks and trade union organizations warn that Germany is already a country with a high rate of part-time work, which affects the total number of hours worked, and express concern that such proposals could lead to raising the retirement age.