analysis
Status: 10/01/2022 3:25 p.m
A higher minimum wage applies from today – and that is also due to Hubertus Heil. Most recently, the Minister of Labor implemented his plans without much fanfare. Just how does he do it?
Hubertus Heil obviously knows how to use a starting advantage. As the only minister in the current federal government, he had already held the office in the previous cabinet and was thus able to get started with a largely familiar apparatus. Citizens’ allowance, twelve-euro minimum wage, pension package I are on track. According to the SPD politician, pension package II and a law on qualifications for skilled workers are to follow before the end of this year.
But sometimes it also cracks in the beams. Not everyone in the coalition liked it when the Labor and Social Affairs Minister launched an uncoordinated test balloon with his proposal for climate money in the spring. He himself seems largely at peace with himself. He certainly would not have pushed through the basic pension in the grand coalition if he hadn’t constantly gotten on the nerves of his cabinet colleagues, says Heil.
Criticism for the citizen money
Speaking of climate money. Ulrich Schneider, chairman of the Parity Welfare Association, expressly praised the minister for the proposal. Verena Bentele, chairwoman of the social association VdK, says Heil is doing a lot to stabilize the level of pension contributions. Even if there is criticism from both on the subject of citizen income, this is not a bad business basis for a social affairs minister, for whom the social organizations are often the final enemy.
The relationship with leading Union politicians is less harmonious. The recent criticism of the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder on the citizen money brings Heil on the palm. He finds it “indecent” to play off low earners and recipients of basic income against each other. Jens Spahn and Heil will certainly no longer be friends either.
In his opinion, however, things are going well in the coalition. It sometimes takes longer discussions, but then you can find viable compromises. Some time ago he could not have imagined agreeing on a minimum wage of twelve euros with Finance Minister Lindner. The only serious mistake was that when it came to energy money, pensioners and students were initially forgotten. “That messed up our communication,” said Heil drastically.
Scandal-free government action
Relatively successful and scandal-free government action: this makes the minister with what is still the largest budget in the cabinet almost a solitaire in the government team. An important support for the chancellor, who needs nothing less than another problem in the cabinet with correspondingly negative press.
Heil is already well networked in the SPD as Secretary General for many years. He does not derive any further claims to power from this. However, his creative power is made clear by his contribution to the party’s current basic program.
Heil and the crises
Heil does not see the fact that the various crises and the limited financial possibilities of the federal government could limit his room for maneuver for the rest of the legislative period. He is confident that everything he has planned for 2025 can also be implemented. “Die Zeit” recently described Heil as a “professional optimist”.
He sees himself differently. In the past crises, he has come across two negative examples of politicians: those who consider themselves superheroes and those who have had nothing technically implemented. He will do anything not to belong.