Coalition: SPD insists on "signal of justice" in nursing care reform

Berlin - In the ongoing debate over the proposed nursing reform, SPD health expert Christos Pantazis in the Bundestag is pushing for a coalition agreement before the scheduled cabinet meeting on Wednesday, while simultaneously seeking concessions. "I already have an expectation that we will reach an agreement, a fundamental one," the SPD politician said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk in the morning.

Negotiations within the government were ongoing, and there was still a scheduled time. Pantazis expected these negotiations to be very intensive but also goal-oriented. However, he emphasized the need for a signal of justice, a fundamental reform. "If we only come to a package where it's only about savings, we won't make progress.

Therefore, we also need to closely examine the financing architecture of the nursing reform and care, and here we have an obvious justice problem compared to private nursing insurance." At least some form of compensation must be provided. Health Minister Carsten Linnemann had announced his plans for this Wednesday in the black-red cabinet, but the SPD threatened a blockade of Linnemann's austerity plans over the weekend and demanded, among other things, a "fair contribution" from private insurers, as Fraktionschef Matthias Miersch put it.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) wanted to accelerate reforms following the devastating local elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin for the government parties.