Overview
- Lawmakers voted 319–225 with 53 abstentions, delivering the chancellor’s own‑party majority after Die Linke abstained and seven Union MPs broke ranks.
- The law fixes the statutory pension level at 48% through 2031, which the labor ministry says would lift a €1,500 monthly pension by about €35 in July 2031.
- The package expands the Mütterrente for pre‑1992 children by six months of credited care time starting in 2027 and introduces an Aktivrente tax break of up to €2,000 a month from 2026.
- Final approval now rests with the Bundesrat on 19 December; if it votes yes, the measures would take effect on 1 January 2026.
- Critics, including young CDU/CSU members, warn of future costs estimated around €111–120 billion, and analysts say the narrow win leaves the coalition vulnerable as a pension commission prepares broader proposals by mid‑2026.