The fragile state of Germany’s ruling coalition is facing a critical test as resistance within the conservative CDU/CSU bloc threatens to derail a key pension reform package, potentially paving the way for gains by the far-right AfD. Labour Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) issued a stark warning, suggesting the coalition could fracture over what she characterized as a “technical detail” related to the pension legislation.
Bas directly challenged CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn, placing the onus on him to secure the necessary votes from his own ranks. She emphasized that failing to do so risks undermining the coalition’s ability to pass crucial legislation, arguing that yielding to the demands of a faction within the CDU/CSU, particularly younger members, will create a precedent for perpetual concessions and paralyze the SPD’s legislative agenda.
“It cannot be that only one partner always gives way” Bas stated pointedly, highlighting internal resistance within her own party over migration and family reunification policies, which the SPD reluctantly supported to maintain coalition stability. She stressed that reciprocity is vital for the coalition’s survival.
Bas underscored the unified front presented at the cabinet level, referencing the approval of the pension package by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and CSU leader Markus Söder and expressing exasperation at the intra-party infighting within the CDU/CSU impacting the coalition’s reputation. She dismissed accusations from within the conservative ranks suggesting she had pushed through the reform package against the coalition’s will, branding them as unfounded and irrelevant.
Critically, Bas accused some CDU/CSU critics of deliberately stoking a “generational conflict” by rejecting components of the comprehensive, six-element pension reform, especially the mothers’ and early start pensions, rather than addressing the broader package. She implied their positions lacked substantive engagement, noting that key members of the faction were not directly involved in the original coalition negotiations where the agreement was solidified.
The escalating dispute raises serious questions about the long-term viability of the “black-red” coalition and highlights the challenges of navigating divergent political agendas within a compromise government. The potential for the AfD to capitalize on the instability looms large, posing a significant threat to the political landscape.
