Noch immer starke Interessen ?

Trade unions and employers’ associations have long been correctly labelled “strong interests” in the field of social policy, as they have managed to successfully lobby for their interests to be recognised in the political process. However, following the reforms of the red-green coalition government (1998–2005) observers noted a weakening of the corporatist arrangement granting privileged access for trade unions and employers’ associations to political decision-makers. This article discusses whether the path of decreasing influence of strong interests was continued. It scrutinises legislation on self-governance in the social insurance schemes that traditionally assigns an important role to trade unions and employers’ associations. Also, it analyses the invitations to the German Trade Union Federation and Confederation of German Employers’ Associations to the Federal Parliament’s committee for labour and social affairs in the 15 th to 19 th legislative periods. The analysis shows that the associations’ role in the self-governance of the social insurance schemes was further weakened, while its position in the legislative processes remained stable.