Overview

• Sebastian Lechner secured about 95% of delegate support to remain CDU state chair in Lower Saxony, consolidating his role as the likely 2027 challenger to the SPD‑Green government.
• Marking roughly 100 days in office, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he is "not satisfied" with the coalition’s domestic record and urged clearer, more disciplined communication.
• Merz argued the current social model is no longer financially sustainable, signaled tougher Bürgergeld rules, cited 5.6 million recipients, and said he will not make reforms easy for the SPD.
• The fiscal clash sharpened as SPD finance chief Lars Klingbeil kept higher taxes on top earners on the table, while CDU leaders pushed savings and stricter welfare rules ahead of heated budget talks over multi‑billion euro gaps.
• The Lower Saxony CDU advanced an education package including a school mobile‑phone ban, a minimum social‑media age of 14, and mandatory language testing for all four‑year‑olds.