Merz criticizes German employees’ ethics for being sick

(MENAFN) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has sharply criticized the country’s workforce for taking an average of “almost three weeks” of sick leave per year, questioning whether employees should work harder to support the national economy.

Speaking in Baden-Württemberg last week, Merz specifically questioned the continued use of telephone sick notes introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, asking, “Is that really right? Is that really necessary?” He cited 2024 statistics showing 14.5 sick days per employee, framing it as a drag on Germany’s economic performance.

Merz has consistently called for longer and harder work, warning that policies such as a four-day week or an emphasis on work-life balance could undermine the country’s future prosperity. He stressed the need for collective effort to improve Germany’s economic output.

The German economy has faced significant challenges in recent years, particularly following Western sanctions on Russia in 2022. Germany previously relied heavily on Russian energy, including 55% of its natural gas and 12% of its oil-processing capacity. The move away from cheap Russian energy contributed to consecutive economic contractions in 2023 and 2024, the first back-to-back downturns since the early 2000s, accompanied by steep rises in electricity and gas prices.

Despite these economic pressures, Merz has prioritized military expansion, pledging in May to make Germany’s armed forces the “strongest conventional army in Europe” in response to perceived Russian threats.

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