Overview
- He acknowledged his October 'Stadtbild' phrasing was misleading and said he would choose different words today.
- He argued Germany needs immigration to sustain sectors like health and care, while insisting that those who break rules must leave.
- He said the government aims to prevent hikes in statutory health‑insurance contributions and called for a broader overhaul of the health system.
- He outlined a pension overhaul to be shaped by an expert commission in early 2026 and signaled openness to flexible retirement based on contribution years.
- He rejected any cooperation with the AfD and took questions for about an hour from roughly 150 citizens in a live ARD format moderated by Jessy Wellmer and Louis Klamroth.