Black-red coalition | Dispute before the "autumn of reforms"

The CDU-SPD coalition faces a tough debate on social reforms at the end of its summer recess. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) insisted on Saturday on a fundamental reform of the social security systems and said he "doesn't want to make it easy" for his coalition partner, the SPD, in this endeavor. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil warned against a one-sided burden on workers. Young Socialists (Juso) leader Philipp Türmer drew a red line: The SPD will not participate in any social cuts.

In a speech at the Lower Saxony CDU state party conference in Osnabrück, Merz expressed his readiness for a tough confrontation with his coalition partner. "I will not allow myself to be irritated by words like social cuts and clear-cutting, and all the other things that come with them," Merz said. "The welfare state as we have it today is no longer financially viable with what we are achieving economically."

The coalition of the CDU/CSU and SPD has undertaken fundamental reforms to the social security systems – for example, to citizen's income, pensions, and health insurance. Rising costs and austerity measures in the federal budget are the reasons behind this. Concrete proposals are being developed, some in expert committees, and initial steps are expected to be taken in the fall.

Merz said in Osnabrück that he knew that the planned welfare state reforms in a coalition with the SPD would be "not so easy." "It's a tough nut to crack." The project was "strenuous for the Social Democrats, and for us too, by the way—and I'm deliberately not making it easy for them," Merz said. Merz advised the SPD to take a clearer stance on migration and economic policy—and to move closer to the CDU/CSU in these areas. "If this party has the strength to become critical of migration and pro-industry, then this party also has a chance of gaining a foothold in government," said the CDU leader.

SPD leader Klingbeil advocated for reforms – while also warning against injustice: "We need structural reforms to keep contributions stable in the long term," Klingbeil told the Funke newspapers on Saturday. "I expect more imagination from all those responsible than simply cutting benefits for employees."

Rhineland-Palatinate's Minister-President Alexander Schweitzer (SPD) acknowledged the clear need for reform of the social security system. "We spend a lot of money administering the welfare state instead of shaping it." It's not simply about cutting social benefits, he said, but about getting people into work.

Juso leader Türmer declared social cuts a red line for the SPD and emphasized that the citizen's income reform could pose a question of conscience for members of parliament. "If the idea behind an 'Autumn of Reforms' is social and benefit cuts, I can only say unequivocally: The SPD cannot go along with that one inch," Türmer told the "Stuttgarter Zeitung" and the "Stuttgarter Nachrichten." The same applies to the citizen's income reform: "Every member of parliament should carefully consider which changes they can agree to," said the Juso leader. "The freedom of conscience of members of parliament also applies to social issues."

Left Party parliamentary group leader Heidi Reichinnek warned of an "autumn of social cruelty." Currently, we are witnessing "how labor rights and the welfare state are being attacked in a massive campaign by think tanks, employers' associations, and so-called experts," said Reichinnek. The CDU/CSU is "the spearhead of the attacks." Reichinnek called for a reactivation of the wealth tax. AFP/nd