Kevin Kühnert: “The traffic lights are no longer a yoga session”

Mister Kühnerthow long is your average working day?
In my job it’s hard to say exactly. But I usually complete the 40-hour week by Wednesday afternoon.

For some in politics it’s just getting too much. Colleagues of yours have announced they are leaving because of the brutality of the business. Have you ever thought about it yourself?
No, but I haven’t been there that long either, so you’ll definitely see it differently. In my opinion, everyone in politics should have the inner attitude that this is not a job for eternity. Otherwise it will probably be unhealthy.

Can you describe a moment when it ever became too much for you?
Every now and then I sit on the train after the last appointment on Sunday evening and think: Now it’s finally the weekend. Tomorrow is Monday again. Sometimes you have doubts as to whether this is all right.

Christian Lindner, FDP-Boss, wants to make people want to work overtime and improve the work ethic of Germans so that the “economic turnaround” is successful. Good idea?
Let’s just look at reality: Every year, well over a billion overtime hours are officially recorded in Germany, less than half of which is paid. The affected employees want more justice from their employers and the FDP! First of all, work done must be properly compensated. And one way or another, the FDP would have to bring about stricter recording of working hours, which they consider to be a nasty bureaucratic monster.

We have the impression that the FDP leader is currently dictating the agenda. In a twelve-point paper, the Liberals fundamentally question social and economic policy. Where can you go?