{
  "id": 14714627,
  "title": "Bundespolitik: SPD-Minister bieten Merz Verbrenner-Kompromiss an",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/bundespolitik-spd-minister-bieten-merz-verbrenner-kompromiss-an",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-15T14:14:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/bundespolitik-spd-minister-bieten-merz-verbrenner-kompromiss-an/100137034.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "In a dispute over the future of the combustion engine, the SPD has offered Chancellor Friedrich Merz a compromise that softens the expected ban on new cars by 2035. In a letter dated Wednesday, Environment Minister Carsten Schneider and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, both from the SPD, propose lowering the CO₂ reduction target for new cars from 100 to 95 percent. This would allow for the offsetting of an additional five percent of emissions, provided that green and recycled steel is used instead of conventional steel. However, the ministers firmly reject any further softening of the measures: \"We reject any compensation below 90 percent,\" the letter states, which was seen by Reuters on Thursday. Their agreement depends on industrial policy demands. The state should act as a \"lead purchaser\" for climate-friendly products and create lead markets. Specifically, they welcome the provision of funds to the Deutsche Bahn to acquire green steel. They also demand an increasing share of over 25 percent for green steel in public tenders. The compromise offer aims to enable an agreement with the French government, the letter says. They are aware of the \"difficult situation of the German automotive industry\" and want to \"connect sustainable jobs with climate protection.\" This figure was recommended by the pensioners' circle of the GKV based on its expenditure and revenue estimate for 2027. The average additional contribution is just a calculation size, the actual amount is decided individually by each health insurance company. The additional contribution will be payable in addition to the regular contribution rate of 14.6 percent. Overall, employees and employers thus pay 17.5 percent of the gross salary to the health insurance companies. This does not guarantee, however, that there will not be contribution increases. For 2026, the average additional contribution was set at 2.9 percent. The actual average contribution rate currently stands at about 3.1 percent.",
  "summary": "Klingbeil zufrieden mit neuen Wachstumsprognosen +++ Zusatzbeitrag kann 2027 laut Linnemann stabil bleiben +++ AfD und BSW wollen Stopp deutscher Ukraine-Hilfe +++ Der Newsblog.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}