Struggle for reforms: Union parliamentary group vice-president rejects Miersch's pension proposal

Berlin. Union parliamentary group vice-president Johannes Winkel has rejected SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch's proposal to involve the parliamentary groups and state heads of government in the preparation of the pension reform. "It makes no sense to set up a new pension commission with new actors after the comprehensive work of the commission and the political agreement. It's about reliability and decision-making ability," Winkel told the German Press Agency.

The deputy parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag for labor and social affairs and chairwoman of the Junge Union pointed out that the federal government and the coalition committee had agreed before the summer break to implement the compromises recommended by the pension commission as an overall package. The parliamentary group leaders then committed to implementing the reform package in Münster at the end of August. "It's time to keep your word. It's time to make decisions," demanded Winkel.

Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) is currently working on a draft law to implement the pension compromise. Miersch had told Die Zeit: “The idea is to involve the parliamentary groups and possibly also the prime ministers in the process before there is a cabinet decision.” This has already happened with other laws. “The exact form of organization would have to be discussed, and in any case the parliamentary groups would have to be involved.”