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In July 2024, Greece<\/a> became the first EU nation to introduce a six-day workweek for certain industries. Credit: AMNA<\/p>\n German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has ignited a fierce national debate by challenging Germany\u2019s 46-million-strong workforce to rethink its work ethic. In a striking historical irony, Merz is holding up Greece\u2014once the target of German \u201clazy South\u201d tropes\u2014as the premier example of how to sustain national prosperity through increased labor volume.<\/p>\n The Greek work model: More hours, more days, more pay<\/p>\n Merz\u2019s praise for Greece isn\u2019t just about general effort; it is a direct nod to Greece\u2019s aggressive new labor policies designed to combat a shrinking workforce and a \u201cbrain drain\u201d of skilled labor.<\/p>\n In July 2024, Greece became the first EU nation to introduce a six-day workweek<\/a> for certain industries (manufacturing and 24\/7 services) with extra pay. This allows for a 48-hour week, bucking the global trend toward four-day models.<\/p>\n The move has been met with strikes and protests, with critics calling it \u201cbarbaric.\u201d However, the Greek government defends the law as a \u201cgrowth-oriented\u201d necessity to curb undeclared work and address labor shortages\u2014exactly the \u201cgrowth\u201d Merz claims Germany is now lacking.<\/p>\n Merz: Germany should take a look at Greece<\/p>\n Addressing industry leaders, Merz was blunt: \u201cI recommend to everyone in Germany who finds it terrible and unreasonable to work 40 hours a week\u2026 to take a look at Greece. We can certainly learn something from them.\u201d<\/p>\n Merz specifically cited 2024 data showing German workers take an average of 14.5 days of sick leave per year, calling the current \u201cphone-in\u201d sick leave system a \u201cbrake on economic growth.\u201d<\/p>\n The Chancellor\u2019s rhetoric signals a desire to import the flexibility of the recent Greek labor reforms.<\/p>\n Despite the praise, Merz faces a \u201cProductivity Paradox.\u201d While Greeks work the most hours in the EU<\/a> according to OECD data, Germany still maintains higher efficiency per hour.<\/p>\n \u201cWork-life balance and the four-day week will not be enough to maintain our level of prosperity,\u201d Merz warned, labeling the current welfare state \u201cunfundable\u201d at current labor levels.<\/p>\n