Name: Germany: Will pensions standoff bring Merzs government into question?
Uploaded: 2025-11-16T22:49:43.746Z
Duration: 1 min 10 s
Description: At the annual meeting of the Junge Union, the joint youth organization of the CDU/CSU ruling coalition, the divide between delegates and Merz widened — especially when it came to pension reform policy.

At the annual meeting of the Junge Union, the joint youth organization of the CDU/CSU ruling coalition, the divide between delegates and Merz widened — especially when it came to pension reform policy.

Berlin

A dispute over pension reform in Germany has escalated as Chancellor Frederick Merz publicly supported a draft reform bill, which has been rejected by the youth wing of his own party. Merz emphasized the need for discussion and cooperation, while warning against a competitive lowering of pension levels.

The CDU's youth organization, Junck Union, announced they would not support the pension package in its current form, highlighting internal divisions. The standoff raises concerns about the prospects for the reform and the stability of Merz's government.

Germany: Will pensions standoff bring Merz's government into question?

The crisis over pension reform in Germany is escalating. During his weekend speech, Chancellor Frederick Merz backed the draft legislation of the pension reform, putting him at odds with the party's youth wing, which rejected the reform package. Facing pressure, Merz warned that he did not want a bidding war for the lowest pension level. We need to talk about this and discuss how we can work together. This must be the message to the people. The abolition, mostly from the CDU's party's Junck Union, made it clear that they would not be voting in favour of the pension package in its current form.

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The U.S. government's longest standoff left both parties facing heavy criticism, and neither is likely to claim victory. Millions of Americans felt the impact, from hundreds of thousands of unpaid federal workers to families left without food stamps.

Breakdown