Germany to raise minimum wage to €14.60 per hour by 2027

By Bahattin Gonultas and Mucahithan Avcioglu

BERLIN/ISTANBUL (AA) - Germany announced Friday the decision to increases its minimum wage to €14.60 ($17.10) per hour by by 2027 from the current €12.82.

Christiane Schonefeld, chair of the Minimum Wage Commission, which was established by the government comprising employers and trade union representatives, announced its decision to reporters in Berlin.

The commission proposed that the minimum wage to be raised to €13.90 per hour from next year in the first phase. In the second phase, the body suggested raising the minimum wage to €14.60 from January 2027.

Schonefeld said the decision was unanimous.

The legal minimum wage was first set at €8.50 per hour gross in 2015, and has been increased several times since then.

The increase in the minimum wage must be implemented by the Federal Labor and Social Affairs Ministry through legislation.

The federal government does not have the power to change the commission's proposal.

During the February election campaign, the Social Democratic Party (SPD and the Greens) called for a minimum wage of €15, while the Christian Union (CDU/CSU) parties defended the autonomy of the Minimum Wage Commission.