Politics – May 2026
Many people in Germany face massive barriers when they need healthcare. Particularly affected are homeless people, refugees and people experiencing poverty - as well as queer people, people without health insurance or people who are disabled. This is everyday life! Our healthcare system is a reflection of our society: structural discrimination divides people into valuable and worthless. The CDU health minister's planned austerity plan will further exacerbate this.
Those with private insurance will be favoured. Those who are poor or do not speak German will be treated badly or not at all. People without active health insurance or people receiving asylum seekers' benefits will only receive a minimal share - if any - of the already inadequate care.
And yet pharmacies are being closed, fees reduced, therapies cancelled and co-payments increased - because everything is too expensive and therefore savings are being made.
But who is tightening their belt? Not the rich. Not the corporations. It's the people who are hit hardest in our society. And with us, the organisations and initiatives that collectively try to reduce the huge gaps in the system at least a little with solidarity support.
Health is affected, for example, by rent increases, low income, precarious employment, racism, queer hostility and poverty in old age. Treatments, access and preventative measures determine the length and quality of our lives. We know that poverty and discrimination make us ill. In our daily work, we see the practical consequences when laws, institutions and right-wing narratives systematically marginalise and devalue people and politicians cut funding in the health and social sectors. We see the brutal reflection of our social injustice on a daily basis.
Germany is extremely rich. All people living in Germany could be provided with the care they need. It could...
But instead of investing in adequate healthcare and, for example, funding solidarity-based healthcare centres, the money is spent on armaments and tax giveaways for the super-rich. The underfunding of healthcare is no coincidence - it is politically intentional. It is not a question of whether or how much money the state spends, but where it spends it and on whom!
We say: Enough is enough!
We are not asking and we are no longer asking - we are demanding!
We demand long-term and reliable funding for us and all other initiatives for solidarity-based healthcare!
We demand that not only symptoms are treated, but that the social causes are tackled and needs-orientated support is offered.
We demand polyclinics in every neighbourhood!
And we demand a fundamental change in social conditions!
Health is a human right! And human rights apply to everyone, not just those who can afford it! There is no lack of money. There is a lack of fair distribution of wealth. And above all, there is a lack of political will.
So it is up to us to fight together for vital social change. Adequate healthcare is not a privilege - it is a human right!
