At a recent CDU party congress in Stuttgart, delegates unanimously approved a motion to exempt seasonal agricultural workers from the national minimum wage, a move that could significantly alter labor regulations. The CDU's Südbaden district proposed the change, arguing that it is necessary to maintain the competitiveness of German agriculture, citing rising labor costs and the need to attract foreign workers. This proposal is expected to face strong opposition from coalition partner SPD, which emphasizes that the minimum wage is a fundamental right for all workers, and from opposition parties like Die Linke, who deem such a measure inhumane and detrimental to labor standards. The current minimum wage is €13.90 per hour, set to increase to €14.60 in 2027, and the agricultural sector relies heavily on seasonal workers, who constituted approximately 28% of the agricultural workforce in April 2025.