State election: The Union is pushing, the SPD is warning: Are the reforms now wobbling?
After the electoral victory of the AfD, the Federal Government is facing criticism. Leading SPD politicians are calling for a correction to the reform course - and increasing nervousness among their coalition partners.
Following the SPD's announcement of its 9.3% victory in the Landtag election, both relief and helplessness were palpable. The Social Democrats had not anticipated such a modest result from their supporters. SPD Co-Chair Bärbel Bas hesitated to express undue jubilation over the outcome. "As the SPD, we do not celebrate our result," she stated.
Instead, her remarks served as a warning and a signal to the SPD in the Bundestag. Bas emphasized that the election was not only a referendum on the federal government and Berlin, but also a direct challenge to the status quo. "We have chosen reforms because they are necessary. Yet, we must not make social reforms at the expense of the people," she added.
The message that reforms should not be sacrificed for political gain became a central theme in the ongoing debate over the direction of the federal government. The election underscores the risk of growing pressure on coalition support, with the Union arguing that the government borrows excessively, saves too little, and raises taxes unnecessarily.
The SPD countered that too much saving was detrimental, that the government is introducing too many reforms, and that taxes must be increased further.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
