Berlin's SPD leader Steffen Krach calls for social change after the AfD's success in Saxony-Anhalt

Berlin's SPD leader Steffen Krach has called for a "social change" in view of the AfD's success in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt. There can be no business as usual if more than 80 percent of people in Germany see the federal government's reforms as socially unbalanced, said Krach on Deutschlandfunk. The SPD's leading candidate for the House of Representatives election in Berlin emphasized above all that employees should continue to be able to retire without deductions after 45 years of contributions.

Housing benefit cut as a “huge mistake”

The Pension Commission has recommended the abolition of the so-called pension at 63. Krach was generally satisfied with the work of the commission and its more than 30 recommendations for pension reform, but he questioned this one recommendation.

He criticized the announced cut in housing benefit as a “huge mistake”. He also called for consideration of higher taxation of assets as well as an adjustment to inheritance tax and company car privileges.

Krach: Better explain why reforms are necessary

“We are welcome to talk about reforms, but at the moment it is like this: When we talk about reforms, over 80 percent of people in the country associate it with cuts,” said Krach. However, there is far too little talk about why reforms are necessary. «If we look at what we have associated with the health care reform - only cuts. “That does something to people,” said Krach.

Elections will take place in Berlin on September 20th. In surveys, the SPD was recently in fifth place behind the CDU, the Left, the Greens and the AfD.