Overview
- CDU parliamentary manager Steffen Bilger proposed presenting a refreshed coalition program for the government's latter half, calling it a “Koalitionsvertrag 2.0.”
- He said the CDU will only pursue an update if the SPD agrees that revisiting the pact makes sense.
- Bilger suggested the second half of 2026 as an appropriate window, citing upcoming Sozialstaatskommissionen recommendations as a new basis for talks.
- Chancellery Minister Thorsten Frei recently voiced openness to revising the accord, and Economy Minister Katherina Reiche urged steps beyond the current contract to spur growth.
- The CDU/CSU–SPD government began work in May 2025 with the next federal election set for 2029, and Bilger expects a stronger governing performance in 2026 after early adjustment challenges.