Bundesregierung: „Das ist mir schon zu lange“: Kanzler Friedrich Merz erhöht den Druck auf die SPD

Just a day after Arbeitsministerin Bärbel Bas (SPD) resigned, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) urged rapid implementation of the coalition-agreed reforms. At the "Workplace Day" of the German Employers' Association (BDA), the chancellor called upon Bas's designated successor, Alexander Schweitzer, to present the planned pension reform promptly.

The proposals from the Pension Commission had been in circulation since the end of June. Almost four months had passed, Merz noted, emphasizing that it was "too long already." Schweitzer must launch the legislative process, Merz insisted, ensuring it happens swiftly and efficiently, getting the draft bills into the cabinet as soon as possible.

Ideally, the pension proposal would not only be refined but also coordinated with the Bundestag factions and the federal states. If this is achieved within the year, Merz declared, he would have fulfilled his job.