One of the most hard -working countries in the world targets a working week of four or even three days. The plan of the future chancellor Merz
In his future Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz (CDU) wants to impose a weekly work time, which can lead to the abolition of the traditional 8-hour work program, giving employees the opportunity to work several hours in the first days of the week for an extended weekend.
“Employees and companies want more flexibility. Therefore, in accordance with the European working time Directive, we want to create the possibility of a maximum weekly and not daily working time – and especially in the interest of better compatibility of the family and career,” CDU, CSU and SPD officials wrote in the Coalition Agreement.
Currently, the maximum working time in Germany is eight hours a day. In exceptional cases, employees can work ten hours at one time, if they did not work more than eight hours on average, in 24 hours (ie overtime they need to be compensated).
In the EU there is no maximum daily working time, but maximum weekly working time. Therefore, employees are allowed to work up to 48 hours every 7 days, including overtime.
This is also the model to follow, now proposed by the German ruling coalition.
“A minimum weekly work time of 34 hours for the working hours agreed and 40 hours for the working hours that are not agreed collectively will be applied,” the agreement shows. This means for Germany to break a long tradition: since 1918, employees are working eight hours a day, at the whole norm.
How did the labor market react
The plans of the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition are met with different reactions. Alexander von Preen, the president of the Commercial Association, HDE, told the newspapers Funke Media Group: “We think it is very good.”
He stressed: “And not only us, as employers. Our employees want more flexibility.” He sees this as a step towards better compatibility between family and career.
Labor market researcher, Enzo Weber, also sees the idea in a positive way. He told Bild's newspaper: “Employees get additional freedom. This is fundamentally positive.” However, he stressed: “It is important for employers to follow the health of their employees closely.”
A week of four or three days with longer work schedule
According to the new model, employees could have more access to a week of four days, with the same salary. In a 40-hour week, it could work ten hours every day, from Monday to Thursday and have free Friday. Alternatively, it could work more than 12 hours from Monday to Wednesday and then have four days off.
However, the specialists have wondered if this measure would make people work more, and some employers are skeptical about the four-day work week, Bild.de.
The German Economic Institute (IW) in Cologne examined the effects on productivity and found, in March 2025, that only 20% of the companies questioned believed that such working hours would be possible.
Most companies are afraid they will have higher costs with staff, because they should hire more employees, to complete the orders on the fifth day.
The IW study mainly deals with the mandatory introduction of a four -day week, which is not in question here. However, it can be deduced that there is little interest from employers to increase working time – the additional day in which employees could have a negative impact on productivity.
Merz's plan could mean a week of four days, without leading to more work. However, if the measure is adopted, companies will have freedom whether or not they offer employees the opportunity to work differently than on the current eight -hour day.
