After the reform offensive launched by Vice‑Chancellor Lars Klingbeil (SPD), leaders of the Union coordinated their approach to the pending negotiations. According to “Handelsblatt”, citing government circles, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), CSU chairman Markus Söder, Union parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn (CDU) and CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann convened a confidential meeting in Berlin on Thursday evening.
Söder was in Berlin for a Bundesrat session, and the usual “Kaminrunde” – the chimney‑circle dinner of Union prime ministers – took place that evening. The banquet served as a backdrop for discussing the upcoming reforms. In addition to the larger gathering, Merz, Söder, Spahn and Linnemann reportedly met in a smaller group.
During that session, the four Union politicians spoke about their strategy for the further reform process. A key topic was smoothing differences between the CDU and the CSU. The CSU had rejected proposals such as a higher top‑rate tax or an increase in VAT, whereas Merz declined to rule out any measures publicly. Whether an agreement was reached on these points remains unclear.
