Overview
- Markus Söder argued that some smaller Länder are barely viable and said Germany should move to larger state units that he claims perform better.
- Anke Rehlinger rejected the idea, highlighting the value of close ties between government and citizens in Saarland and contrasting her cabinet of six ministers with Bavaria’s 14.
- The Saarland FDP also dismissed mergers but urged a drive for efficiency, digital services and faster approvals to strengthen the state’s economy.
- Any consolidation would face steep legal steps, requiring federal legislation followed by referendums, with the 1996 Berlin‑Brandenburg bid serving as a cautionary failure.
- Commentary deems large-scale mergers politically unrealistic, steering the debate toward administrative streamlining and coordination efforts already sketched in a December intergovernmental plan.