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Pension Clash Puts Merz–SPD Coalition Majority at Risk

The push to fix the pension level beyond 2031 at 48% has sparked warnings of €115–120 billion in extra costs and concerns over burdening younger generations.

Overview

  • About 18 young CDU/CSU MPs say the current bill is not approvable and threaten to vote no, a move that could sink the coalition’s 12‑vote majority.
  • Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil reject reopening the cabinet draft and press for a December vote to keep the Aktivrente start on 1 January 2026.
  • Junge‑Gruppe chair Pascal Reddig calls for postponing the vote and dismisses a nonbinding resolution, urging rapid work by a planned pension commission on long‑term reforms.
  • Economist Veronika Grimm backs the critics, arguing for spending‑reducing changes such as a higher retirement age and stronger private provision, as other experts warn of fiscal strain.
  • Employer groups including the BDA and Die Familienunternehmer urge freezing or delaying the package, warning of rising contribution costs for workers and businesses.