Particle.news
Download on the App Store
182 ARTICLES
·
52m ago

Merz Seeks Full ‘Chancellor’s Majority’ as Pensions Vote Tests His Grip on the Coalition

A recorded ballot will lay every vote bare, making the size of the yes camp a proxy for authority even if the bill passes.

Image
Vor dem Wahlprüfungsausschuss gescheitert: BSW-Politikerin Wagenknecht
Image
Image

Overview

  • Die Linke has announced it will abstain, lowering the threshold for passage and making approval of the pension package numerically likely.
  • Friedrich Merz set a public goal of the coalition winning 316 to 328 votes on its own, pressing for a so‑called chancellor’s majority despite outside help being available.
  • Reports from a CDU/CSU test vote indicated roughly 15 to 20 potential no‑votes from younger MPs, prompting intensive, last‑minute talks ahead of this morning’s roll‑call vote.
  • Critics in the Union warn of heavy long‑term costs, while the bill would keep the pension level at 48 percent through 2031 and includes items such as the mothers’ pension and an ‘Aktivrente’ to let retirees earn more tax‑free.
  • Separately in Berlin, SPD and CDU moved to mandate the Senate to explore a Bundesrat initiative on a possible AfD ban, with legal assessments including a Cologne court review still outstanding.