"The German government, which has been in office since May and consists of center-right Christian Democrats and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and center-left Social Democrats (SPD), promised the German people that it would refrain from the kind of infighting that made the previous government under former Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) the most unpopular government ever. In some respects, it has succeeded in doing so."
"Prominent government representatives are still trying to reassure the public. In an interview with DW on Monday, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) said: "The fact that there are discussions and even broad debates about one or two projects is normal in politics, in my opinion. It always depends on whether you are on the way to a solution or just taking a blockade stance. And I see that we are moving towards a solution.""
"Pensions have been a constant topic of debate in German politics for decades. People are living longer, which means they are drawing money from the state pension fund for longer and longer periods of time after retiring. And their numbers are growing as society ages. The majority of Germans, excluding civil servants and the self-employed, pay into the state retirement fund."
The coalition formed in May combines center-right CDU/CSU and center-left SPD and pledged to avoid the infighting that weakened the prior administration. Debates have occurred on issues such as immigration policy and military service but were ultimately resolved through negotiation. A deepening dispute over the old-age pension insurance system now threatens coalition cohesion under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, prompting public reassurances from senior ministers. Germany's pension system faces long-term strain as people live longer and the population ages. Most employees and employers each pay 9.3% of gross income into the state retirement fund, with pensions calculated from accrued pension points converted into monthly payments.
Read at www.dw.com
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