The German economy is not stumbling because of a lack of public investment, but because the Germans are not working hard enough, said Finance Minister Christian Lindner on the sidelines of the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund in Washington.
"A lot more is being done in Italy, France and other countries," Lindner said Thursday.
He attributed this to regulations on reducing working hours, demographics and the forced shift of people to reduced working hours because they have no one to entrust their children with.
Lindner, the leader of the business-friendly liberal FDP, again declared for the reduction of bureaucracy, tax incentives to the economy for investment and labor market reform.
According to him, many of the measures he proposes for the "economic turnaround" do not cost anything, and save money in the budget and insurance.
"When people work, or when they work more, they pay more taxes and draw less social benefits," Lindner added.
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