SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch responded calmly to the critical remarks made by CDU Chairman Friedrich Merz. Merz had previously argued that the SPD needed to show more willingness to compromise, stating during an ARD broadcast that the CDU union should not be made to bear everything.
Speaking on Monday, Miersch stated that the CDU leader was under the same kind of pressure they were. While some party members expected to see a clear direction, Miersch argued that the SPD had successfully addressed many issues and reached compromises over the past year. He cited the mandatory military service and joint European asylum policy as examples. According to Miersch, these achievements had established a solid foundation that was “not as bad as some people make it sound”. He expressed optimism that everyone understood how challenging the times were and that this necessitated working together.
Miersch emphasized that while mutual consideration was necessary, the political process was far from casual, noting, “This is not like meeting for coffee; deep effort is required”. He acknowledged that the CDU, CSU, and SPD held differing views, stressing that this disagreement is inherent to politics and that healthy debate should be expected. Miersch concluded by saying that they now faced major topics, such as the healthcare reform, which needed to be tackled on a level playing field, reminding the public that the parties were equal partners within the coalition.
