Minimum wage increase in Germany. Work in Germany. The debate on increasing the minimum wage to €15 per hour is gaining attention as the election campaign continues. The SPD, Greens, Linke, and BSW parties support this change, which could greatly benefit millions of workers in Germany.
Significant impact on revenue
Raising the minimum wage to €15 per hour would increase annual earnings from €26,645 to €31,200 for full-time workers—a €4,555 boost. This change would significantly impact eastern Germany, where 30% of employees earn less than €15 per hour. Women would also benefit, as 27.9% currently earn below this rate, compared to 21.1% of men.
Benefits for different sectors
Heidi Reichinnek from the Left Party highlights that raising the minimum wage would greatly benefit sectors like gastronomy, where nearly 75% of employees earn less than €15 per hour, and culture, where over 50% face the same issue. She warns that low wages today lead to poverty in old age and sees a higher minimum wage as a solution.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz also supports the increase, stating that around 7 million people would benefit directly. He emphasized that this measure would help hundreds of thousands of people become independent from social assistance.
Political differences over the minimum wage
The Union and FDP insist that any minimum wage increase should follow recommendations from the minimum wage commission, while the AfD has yet to take a clear stance. However, for millions of employees, especially in eastern Germany, a wage hike would bring much-needed financial relief.
Increasing the minimum wage could also help close the persistent wage gap between eastern and western Germany. For many workers, this debate goes beyond politics—it represents a real hope for a better quality of life.