‘No more part-time work!’ Do we need to work longer hours to save the economy? Let’s debate
The German economy is faltering, and politicians seem to have only one answer: we should work more. The CDU wants to abolish the right to part-time work, make working hours more flexible and raise the retirement age. That sounds like a plan that employers, in particular, would welcome. But is it really that simple? And is it fair?
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STREIT & ZUVERSICHT
Come along, bring your arguments and questions to the discussion, and have your say: Do we need to work more to save the economy?
Germany works fewer hours than many of its EU neighbours. But does that automatically mean we’re lazy? Or would we work more if it were more worthwhile? The CDU often talks about ‘lifestyle part-time work’. Yet amongst the roughly 30 per cent of the workforce who are actually employed part-time, a large proportion are women – many of whom carry out unpaid care work. So who ultimately benefits from all this extra work – and who is putting their health at risk in the process?
STREIT & ZUVERSICHT, the debate series organised by ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS and Holtzbrinck Berlin in cooperation with Heimathafen Neukölln, invites you to discuss these forward-looking questions.
On stage, you’ll find experts from the worlds of politics, business, sociology, medicine and civil society, who will bring different perspectives to the debate on working hours.
STREIT & ZUVERSICHT is the place for anyone who is curious, keen to hear genuine arguments and ready to question their own views. The series of events aims to foster understanding, particularly of viewpoints that differ from one’s own.
Additional information
Dates
September 2026
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