Merz’s SPD partners rebel after far-right rout
The center-left party's strategic pivot is likely to deepen Merz’s myriad challenges as questions mount over his ability to lead Germany’s relatively weak coalition government.
BERLIN — Friedrich Merz's center-left coalition partners are increasingly facing a stark choice: stand against the reforms they've agreed on with Chancellor Merz or risk failure with him. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) appears to be turning against the reforms after the conservatives suffered a major defeat to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday.
The loss, driven largely by dissatisfaction with Merz and his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, suggests the SPD may reevaluate its reform agenda. SPD lawmakers argue that the problem isn't messaging but the substance of the reforms. Rasha Nasr, an SPD lawmaker in the Bundestag, said it's crucial not just to push the reforms through but to ensure people understand their necessity.
Merz has staked his chancellorship on tough reforms, including raising the retirement age, cutting some health-insurance benefits, and making it harder for workers to take sick leave. However, SPD official Tim Klüssendorf acknowledges there are reform measures that need addressing. The growing tensions between SPD and Merz's conservatives could complicate the coalition's ability to govern effectively.
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