Meeting at the Pharmacist's House: 10 theses of the young liberal professions

"The liberal professions thrive on principles, but principles alone are no longer enough. The liberal professions need a voice," said Scharpf, who is also president of the Bavarian State Chamber of Pharmacists (BLAK).

"Friday is usually my 'pharmacy day,'" Scharpf remarked by way of greeting. And as a mother of three, she's familiar with a typical challenge of self-employment: balancing family and career. "But young people need courage to become self-employed. We can only achieve this if we work together."

In his welcoming address, Stephan Hofmeister, President of the Federal Association of Liberal Professions (BFB), described the liberal professions as a "pillar of society." Addressing the next generation, the Vice President of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) said: "You live where you work, you pay taxes there, and you won't leave immediately if the subsidies are cut."

Hofmeister cited the particular challenges of starting a business and finding a successor, balancing family and career, and preparing for self-employment as key aspects of the liberal professions. He noted that freelancers can sometimes feel lonely, as everyone has to take care of everything themselves. Therefore, exchanging experiences with others is all the more important, "to see that others are going through the same thing."

The first Young Professionals Day is a signal that the next generation is becoming visible. The idea originated from the discussion forum, which has been running for three years. Co-spokespersons dentist Kathleen Menzel, tax advisor Tom-Adnan Hobe, and veterinarian Friedrich Rosenthal made it clear in their statements that challenges such as bureaucracy, skills shortages, and dealing with AI are the same, but so is the positive aspect: being self-employed and doing something meaningful independently.

The ten theses of the young liberal professions:

1. Strengthening the appreciation and profile of the liberal professions: Recognize performance, build trust, ensure future viability.
2. Promoting professional political engagement: Create the framework to participate in shaping the future, to take responsibility, and to be visible.
3. Use AI responsibly: Seize opportunities, limit risks, and put people first.
4. Modernizing infrastructure for the future: Strengthen networks, accelerate processes, enable digital dialogue with authorities.
5. Decisively reduce bureaucratic hurdles: Simplify processes, create freedom, enable progress.
6. Boosting business start-ups: Create opportunities, remove obstacles, and foster courage.
7. Better combining family and career: Promote flexibility and facilitate work-life balance for a modern working and living environment.
8. Securing tomorrow's skilled workers: Develop skills, create perspectives, and unlock potential.
9. Shaping the future through education: Develop talent, utilize knowledge, enable progress.
10. Enabling a living wage and fair pay: Securing livelihoods, recognizing achievements, enabling the future.