Merz calls on the coalition to stand together and pushes for social reforms

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on his coalition to stick together in view of the repeated tug-of-war over planned social reforms. In Kiev last night, the CDU politician said on the ARD program “Report from Berlin”: “We have to stay together in the government. We have to move the country forward. We must also use the great opportunities we have together. And I'm determined to do that."

In particular, he called on his coalition of the Union and the SPD to make progress with the reforms of the social systems and to make the necessary decisions by the end of the year, especially for statutory pension insurance: “And the proposals are on the table so well developed that we have not had them in Germany in the last 30 years. I very much hope that we will succeed in enforcing it in this way," he said. The SPD recently expressed criticism about the planned abolition of the early pension without deductions after 45 years of contributions.

Importance of a stable government for Europe

Against the background of the conflicts within the coalition in recent weeks, Merz said that the whole of Europe depends on stability in Germany. Perhaps many people underestimated how important a stable government is in Germany, especially in these turbulent times.

Merz came under massive pressure within his own party after the election debacle in Saxony-Anhalt four weeks ago - the AfD won the state election by a significant margin over the CDU. On September 20th, the CDU was thrown out of the state parliament in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and was pushed out of first place in parliament in Berlin by the Left.

But that's not all: In an Insa survey for “Bild” published on Saturday, the AfD reached the 30 percent mark nationwide for the first time - the Union is at 18 percent. At the same time, Merz's values ​​are also low: only one in ten was satisfied or very satisfied with the CDU politician's work in the ARD "Germany Trend" from last week.

Miersch: “Orgy of cuts” in long-term care insurance prevented

There is a problem with reform projects in the coalition: The cabinet passed a bill to stabilize long-term care insurance after the Union and the SPD had fought over the content until the very end. SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch said on the ZDF program “Berlin Direkt”: “It’s part of it that we argue about the best way forward. But I am very sure that in this grand coalition we will now be able to overcome these challenges.”

Nevertheless, it was good that an “orgy of cuts” in long-term care insurance was prevented, the SPD parliamentary group leader continued. In the coming discussions, his party will now focus on structural changes and also more justice, such as financial equalization between private and social care insurance.

Union urges Labor Minister Bas to draft pension law

At the same time, Union politicians are insisting that Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) quickly submit a draft law on the planned pension reform. Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) told “Bild am Sonntag” with a view to the resistance in the SPD leadership against the abolition of the “pension at 63”, that she trusts “that we will carry through what we have decided in the cabinet and, above all, what the coalition has put on the table in long, long negotiations”.