{
  "id": 3401138,
  "title": "Federal politics: Union parliamentary group leader Frei - Withdrawal never an issue for Merz",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/bundespolitik-unionsfraktionschef-frei-ruckzug-nie-ein-thema-fur-merz",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-25T18:32:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/bundespolitik-unionsfraktionschef-frei-rueckzug-nie-ein-thema-fuer-merz/100137034.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "In Sachsen-Anhalt, the growth in the economy is attributed to immigration, according to Union faction leader Frei. However, the number of German employees is decreasing as more retire than continue working. Frei believes that the positive impact of immigrants can be quantified in specific industries and sectors. Many sectors, including care, food production, construction, tourism, and logistics, rely heavily on foreign workers. Nearly 20% of all doctors in the region are foreign-born. Frei emphasized the significant challenges in both domestic and foreign policies, regardless of the individual facing these issues. Despite low poll numbers, the CDU remains the most successful Christian democratic party in Europe. The central question, according to Frei, is whether the red-black coalition has the strength to implement planned reforms in the autumn. Frei praised the proposals of the government-appointed Pension Commission as groundbreaking and the proposed reform as a century-long project, calling it a compromise between political parties and generations. As of Monday, Magdeburg had received approximately 48,300 voter registration forms, with an expected total of around 55,000 by election day. The city has sent out about 180,000 voter notifications, with Magdeburg's district registering around 39,200 mail-in ballots and Halle having received approximately 39,200 requests for mail-in voting. In the 2021 state election, around 36,800 mail-in ballots were registered.",
  "summary": "Researchers: Saxony-Anhalt under AfD government likely to cost growth +++ Klingbeil: We need to make social security systems fit +++ The news blog.",
  "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."
}