Germany's young lawmakers shake up politics DW 12/02/2025

"Some 18 Junge Union members in the CDU's parliamentary group threatened to rebel against the new pension package. They argued that it represents too much of a compromise with Merz's coalition partners, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), and places a massive burden on future generations. Because the governing coalition has a parliamentary majority of just 12, a JU group vote against the pension law would be enough to scupper the government's plan."

"A test vote among CDU/CSU parliamentary group members on Tuesday indicated that some young lawmakers had decided to give up their opposition ahead of Friday's real vote in parliament. Discontent over the pension plan, which would maintain current pension levels beyond 2031, had been rumbling in the conservative youth organization for some time. At a JU conference in southern Germany in mid-November, at which Merz also spoke, the young conservatives demanded that the CDU leadership renegotiate the plan from scratch."

"According to media reports, Spahn met with several JU Bundestag members over pizza and wine in his own home in the past week either to cajole or to threaten them, depending on whose account one believes. "I simply have friendly, clear conversations. I don't make threats. That's not part of my toolkit," Spahn said Sunday night on the TV debate show Caren Miosga on public network ARD."

Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced a potential rebellion from the Junge Union over a coalition pension reform that would maintain current pension levels beyond 2031. Some 18 JU members in the CDU/CSU parliamentary group threatened to rebel, arguing the deal was too conciliatory toward coalition partner SPD and imposed a heavy burden on future generations. The governing majority stands at just 12, so a JU revolt could sink the law. A test vote indicated some young lawmakers dropped opposition ahead of the parliamentary vote. CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn met privately with JU Bundestag members and publicly denied making threats.

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