Germany’s Merz to press cabinet for faster pro-growth reforms

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans to push his cabinet next week to expedite pro-growth reforms, according to Bild am Sonntag newspaper. The reforms aim to alleviate the burden on businesses and stimulate economic growth, which Merz considers the most important issue facing Germany. Speaking ahead of a cabinet retreat in Neuhardenberg, Brandenburg, Merz emphasized the need for ministers to concentrate on swiftly implementing reforms previously agreed upon before the summer recess.

These measures encompass taxes, pensions, deregulation, and digitalisation, as reported by the newspaper. Merz, who leads the conservative Christian Democratic Union, stated that they had made significant decisions before the summer break, but now those decisions must be executed as quickly as possible. The government's primary goal, according to Merz, is to deliver rapid and comprehensive relief for the economy, with particular emphasis on supporting tradespeople and small and medium-sized enterprises.