Overview
- The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) organised coordinated demonstrations in 15 cities on Saturday, September 26, 2026, with major rallies reported in Essen, Frankfurt and Nürnberg.
- The DGB said about 175,000 people joined the protests while local police released smaller, city-by-city counts, creating an immediate debate over the movement’s scale and influence.
- Union leaders named specific targets in the government’s reform package, including proposals on working time, sick-leave attestation from day one, higher health co-payments, changes to pension rules and ending penalty-free pensions after 45 years of contributions.
- Political and business figures reacted sharply: employers accused unions of blocking necessary reform, some regional politicians urged social softening of the package, and left groups including Attac and Die Linke demanded alternatives such as higher taxes on the wealthy.
- Organisers said the day was meant to shift the debate toward investment-led policy choices and to press for changes in upcoming parliamentary talks, with unions promising further pressure if the government proceeds without social safeguards.