A senior figure within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has called for Chancellor Friedrich Merz to assert his authority to enact social reforms, even in the face of opposition from coalition partners.
Johannes Winkel, a Member of the Bundestag and head of the CDU’s youth wing, the Junge Union (JU), stated in an interview with Bild am Sonntag that the Chancellor should utilize his directive power (“Richtlinienkompetenz”) if Social Affairs Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) proves unwilling to collaborate on necessary changes. Winkel emphasized the need for strong leadership, referencing the Chancellor’s demonstrated leadership in foreign policy.
He criticized Minister Bas for allegedly obstructing reform efforts and suggested a firm approach from the Chancellor. Winkel argued for a reduction in the size of Germany’s social welfare system, asserting it is unavoidable.
He positioned these reforms not as cuts, but as a path towards greater social justice, citing the disincentive created when families receiving citizen’s income have access to comparable funds to those in employment. Winkel believes this contributes to the decreasing appeal of social democratic policies among working-class voters.
The call for reform comes under the constraint of rulings by the Federal Constitutional Court. A 2019 decision affirmed that the dignity of all individuals is a fundamental right, even in cases of perceived “undignified” behavior, severely limiting the scope of sanctions and prohibiting benefit reductions exceeding 30 percent of the standard rate of need. The government’s reform efforts must therefore adhere to these legal boundaries.
