A new survey commissioned by the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund) found that two-thirds of people in Germany want to see the minimum wage (Mindestlohn) raised to €15 per hour, from the current €12.82 per hour.
According to the survey, about 32 percent of people think it would be wrong to do so. Â Â
In the new black-red government's coalition agreement, the conservative Union parties (CDU/CSU) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), had voiced support for an increase of Germany's minimum wage. However, now Chancellor Friedrich Merz had withheld any guarantees, clarifying that any potential raise would ultimately be up to the Minimum Wage Commission.Â
This survey can be seen as encouragement in that direction as it shows that the proposed wage raise enjoys the support of a majority of voters from all political parties, except the financially liberal Free Democrats (FDP) and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
While introducing the report, DGB leader Yasmin Fahimi reiterated her support for the raise: “In Germany, we must finally take a look at the people who, despite working, have little income – sometimes too little to live on.”
“Many employees are therefore forced to claim additional state benefits,” she added. “This is unacceptable.”
The survey which was carried out by Forsa on behalf of the DGB consisted of interviews with 1,504 people between the end of May and the beginning of June.
Who supports a minimum wage increase, and who is against it?
According to the survey, 88 percent of SPD supporters, 86 percent of Green Party supporters, and 82 percent of Left Party supporters said the increase to €15 was right.
Among CDU and CSU supporters, 55 percent said they were in favour. Among supported of Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW, the figure was 58 percent.
A narrow majority of AfD supporters (53 percent) were against raising the minimum wage, whereas 45 percent were in favour.
Among FDP supporters, the ratio was 61 percent against to 33 percent for.
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The publication of the survey follows warnings against the raise by Gesamtmetall Arbeitgeberverband (the General Metal Employers' Association). In an interview with Bild, the association’s chief executive, Oliver Zander, claimed that raising the minimum wage to €15 would cause serious economic damage.
“Many businesses would have to close,” he said, “especially in eastern Germany, and there would be fewer regular jobs and more undeclared work.”
Responding to these warnings, Germany’s Labour Minister Bärbel Bas dismissed concerns that an increase in the minimum wage would cost jobs.
“Horrific scenarios were painted on the wall when the minimum wage was introduced, but in the end we had more employment,” she told reporters from the Funke media group. “Sure, a higher minimum wage puts a strain on some industries. On the other hand, it gets people off welfare."
In the DGB survey, 34 percent of respondents who rejected raising the minimum wage said they feared it would lead to price increases, and 24 percent said they feared it would lead to negative consequences for companies.
When can we expect a decision?
Germany’s independent Minimum Wage Commission is set to present its recommendation for the next adjustment at the end of June. Â
READ ALSO: Is Germany set for a €15 an hour minimum wage?
After that, theoretically, the government could decide against implementing the commission's recommendation.
Since the Minimum Wage Commission was founded in 2015, the commission has only been overruled by the government once, in 2022, when Olaf Scholz used his majority in parliament to raise the minimum wage to €12 per hour -- higher than the commission had previously planned.
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