Overview
- Lawmakers are set to debate and vote on the rentenpaket late this morning after an earlier vote on Wehrdienst reform, as student protests take place in dozens of cities.
- The coalition holds 328 seats, Merz has set a target of 316 to 328 yes votes, and The Left’s abstention would drop the simple-majority requirement to roughly 284 if all others are present.
- An internal Union test vote reportedly showed about 10–15 no votes from younger MPs, and party leaders have held one‑on‑one talks to limit defections while Jens Spahn signals confidence.
- Labor Minister Bärbel Bas said she is sure the package will pass, the Greens assailed The Left as a de facto vote‑enabler, and Left leaders defended abstaining as protecting pension levels and the Mütterrente.
- Commentary across parties frames the margin as a test of Merz’s authority, with Union managers even planning post‑vote ‘manöverkritik’ after weeks of public infighting over costs and intergenerational fairness.