AI-generated summary
After the state elections in the east and in Berlin, the federal government is under pressure. The coalition committee confirmed the reform plans, but made no new decisions. The federal government is forecasting growth of 1.3 percent for 2026, driven by exports and infrastructure investments.
After the state elections in the east and in Berlin, the federal government is under considerable pressure. The coalition committee confirmed this week that it wanted to stick to the reform plans, but it did not bring any new resolutions. The federal government's current economic forecast gives hope, which sees growth of 1.3 percent for 2026 - driven primarily by exports and government infrastructure investments.
The situation remains difficult for many companies. How does the government get out of the crisis? Miosga asks Markus Söder, the CSU leader and Bavaria's Prime Minister, in her broadcast on Sunday evening. In addition to Söder, the chairman of the management of the drugstore chain dm, Christoph Werner, and the head of the economic policy department at the FAZ, Julia Löhr, are guests.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The basic principles of all reforms will be decided in 2026.
Possible · Within months
There will be personnel consequences for Union MPs who vote differently on fundamental issues.
Likely · Within weeks

Friedrich Merz is supposedly presenting the results of the CDU presidential retreat, while at the same time criticism is coming from the party, the Federal Constitutional Court is negotiating inheritance tax and political developments are being discussed in Berlin and New York.
The resumption of diesel trade between the USA and Russia through a deal between Trump and Putin leads to sharp criticism from the CDU, the Greens and the Left in the Bundestag, while the AfD and BSW praise the agreement as a model. Critics warn about financing the war in Ukraine and a lack of relief for consumers, supporters see economic reason and relief with high energy prices.
Dennis Radtke, head of the CDU social wing CDA, warns of a loss of social acceptance of the CDU's reform course and sees this as a driver for the AfD. He criticizes the health care reform as an austerity program, assesses the pension reform positively and calls on Chancellor Merz to correct course. Radtke complains about the CDU's thematic narrowing and warns of further polarization of society.

CSU leader Markus Söder has called on Union MPs who vote for the AfD to publicly resign from the party after AfD candidate Tobias Rausch was elected state parliament president in Saxony-Anhalt. He warned of instability in the federal government and emphasized that Friedrich Merz would remain Chancellor while he supported Ilse Aigner's candidacy for Federal President.
Federal Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York has granted a lawsuit by Common Cause and others and ordered the government to stop airing Department of Homeland Security commercials funded with public funds for two weeks. The judge saw possible unlawful use of state resources for political propaganda because one spot resembled a Trump 2024 campaign video.

In an interview, Markus Söder comments on the role of the Bavarian Prime Minister in the coalition committee, the future of mini-jobs, survey results about his ability to become chancellor and his attitude towards the AfD and possible coalition partners.