Cabinet retreat: "Confidence" instead of "discontent": Merz calls for a change of thinking

Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz has rejected the proposal by eastern German CDU ministers to keep the flat-rate early pension after 45 years of contributions. During a two-day cabinet meeting at Schloss Neuhardenberg in Brandenburg, Merz emphasized that the issue of early retirement had been discussed in the coalition committee. "We agree that we must eliminate all incentives for early retirement, and that should remain so.

This is a cornerstone of the reform," Merz stated. Hesitation cases should also be discussed. The three eastern German CDU chairmen - Sven Schulze (Saxony-Anhalt), Michael Kretschmer (Saxony), and Mario Voigt (Thuringia) - had opposed the plans to abolish the flat-rate pension after 45 contributions. Other government leaders from the SPD also joined the opposition.

Merz admitted that he was surprised by this statement, as he believed it was not substantiated by sufficient arguments. The trend towards early retirement among an aging society must be stopped, Merz said. "I assume I will be able to convince the ministers to follow this path," the chancellor added. This path is also in the interests of the federal states, particularly the eastern ones, which have an even smaller labor potential compared to many western states.

The flat-rate early pension after 45 contributions was referred to as "Retirement at 63" when it was introduced. However, as the retirement age is gradually increased, the entry age has also risen with the year of birth. Chancellor Merz and Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) agreed to consider the proposals of the government-appointed pension commission as a "total work of art" that cannot be changed. The decision on this matter will be made in the autumn.