Germany’s Young Union, made up of 18 younger Christian Democratic Union (CDU) MPs, will not vote in favour of a pension reform championed by their leader.
“We do consider the reform package not approvable. That is final,” the group, part of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s party, wrote in a joint statement yesterday.
The Young Union had already announced resistance to the proposal several days ago, saying it was unsustainable and would only play into the hands of Merz’s junior coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
According to the Young Union, the move would cause additional costs of €120 billion in the 2030s, adding to the weight on the shrinking working-age population.
The MPs add that they had internally suggested a number of possible compromises and alternatives that would have allowed “an appropriate and face-saving solution” for both Merz’s CDU and the SPD, but had been met with rejection.
The Young Union added: “One has to doubt this coalition’s capability for reform.”
While the MPs remain defiant, some may still break rank when the pension reform comes to a vote in the German parliament in a few days.
German media had reported that some of the group’s resistance against the reform has been crumbling.
The Young Union members’ statement yesterday left a way out of the blockade, saying: “Each member of the young group will weigh the arguments and take a decision.”
On November 27, news portal Nius had published accusations by some young MPs that CDU leaders had threatened them with an end to their political careers should they vote against the pension package.
Conservative establishment politicians – including CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann – have warned that a failure of the pension reform might put the entire fragile coalition government in jeopardy.
CDU MP Jürgen Hardt warned his fellow MPs. “We cannot afford a government crisis in Germany. Germany is crucial as an anchor of stability in Europe.
“Everyone – in all democratic factions – should keep this in mind,” the 62-year-old told news station ntv.
