Gießen in focus: Jan van Aken calls for radical change against inequality!

Gießen in focus: Jan van Aken calls for radical change against inequality!

An exciting panel discussion entitled “Unequal Germany? What needs to be done now” took place in the Netanya Hall in Giessen today. Despite the oppressive heat, the audience was not deterred from attending the event, which featured high-profile speakers such as Jan van Aken, Federal Chairman of the Left, and other notable guests such as Desiree Becker, Member of the Bundestag, and Martina Bodenmüller from the Giessen Unemployment Initiative. The pressing issue of social inequality in Germany was discussed together with moderator Saskia Ebert.

For example, the federal chairman of the Left, Jan van Aken, clearly stated that “there should be no billionaires” and impressively cited the extreme differences in income that characterize our society today. He cited Susanne Klatten, who earns an hourly wage of 1.1 million euros, and Mathias Döpfner, who benefits from tax savings, as examples of the inequality that exists between the rich and the socially disadvantaged groups. According to the Schader Foundation, social inequalities are growing, which the media is also increasingly addressing. The question is no longer just whether, but to what extent these inequalities are pronounced and what strategies are necessary to combat them in order to maintain social peace.

Facing the challenges

Moderator Ebert got to the heart of the matter: Social inequality is political and not a law of nature. In this panel discussion it became clear that there is a great need for action. The Gini coefficient, which measures income inequality, rose from 0.28 in 2010 to 0.31 in 2021 - an alarming development that many experts say has structural causes. A rethink must now take place to reverse these trends.

Desiree Becker and Martina Bodenmüller reported on the reality that many people experience. More and more people are forced to take on second jobs to make ends meet. In Giessen, the Left Party is therefore planning to offer social consultation hours on the first and third Wednesday of the month. This initiative aims to better support people in the city and improve the social situation.

Listen to the voice of those affected

Sarah Kempf's criticism was particularly powerful, denouncing the arrogance in the discussion about those affected. A “Berlin wish list” was called for, which includes changes in the language about socially disadvantaged people as well as more help and solidarity. According to the reports, there is also a serious problem in society: increasing poverty rates and unequal educational opportunities mean that people are denied social recognition and participation. This highlights the need for greater commitment to fairer redistribution policies.

The number of people living below the poverty line peaked at 17.8% in 2021. You are considered poor if you have less than 60% of the median income. This is leading to increasing divisions in society and, according to a WSI study, 48% of working people are worried about social cohesion. Support through targeted policies such as increasing basic security and introducing a wealth tax have become urgently necessary to counteract these grievances.

In summary, it is clear that the issue of social inequality in Germany is not only a political challenge, but above all a social challenge. During the discussion in the Netanya Hall in Giessen, it became clear once again that action must be taken now to enable fairer coexistence.