If the polls are to be believed then Angela Merkel is set to return for a fourth consecutive mandate as German Chancellor following the elections on 24 September and in this vein talk is rife over possible potential coalition alliances. The polls say the most likely outcome is for an unchanged grand coalition between the christian democrat CDU/CSU (with an expected 36 – 37% of votes) and the social democrat SPD (20 to 23% of votes). An alternative coalition of the conservatives, the liberal FDP (10%) and the Greens (8%) although also possible (mathematically appears unlikely as their ideas differ greatly especially over the labor market. Planet Labor has taken a look at the parties’ electoral programs and below presents a selection (not exhaustive) of the proposals on co-determination, part-time and interim work as well as the minimum wage.
Co-determination. The CDU/CSU and the FDP’s programs differ markedly from those of the SPD, Greens and Radical Left (Die Linken). While the conservatives essentially intend for ‘greater flexibility and leeway’ for companies operating under collective agreements or having signed agreements with their works councils, the SPD is seeking to extend the level of employee representation and influence within companies. In line with the Greens, the SPD wants to halve the employee threshold level (from 2
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