(de-news.net) – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has called for patience and unity within the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition while defending the slow pace of democratic reform. At the same time, comments by SPD co-chair Bärbel Bas on migration and welfare policy sparked strong criticism from CDU figures, exposing growing tensions within the governing coalition over immigration and social policy.
Merz appealed for patience regarding the reform agenda pursued by the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition government, arguing that democratic decision-making processes in Germany were often both time-consuming and politically demanding. The CDU leader emphasized that major reforms required extensive deliberation and consensus-building, and he encouraged representatives of the corporate sector to continue placing confidence in the political process while contributing to the debate in a constructive and supportive manner.
Earlier, during a cabinet meeting, Merz had reportedly called on coalition partners to preserve a cooperative and collegial working atmosphere, while underscoring that no realistic alternative currently existed to the governing alliance. According to accounts of the meeting, he stressed the importance of maintaining political optimism within the coalition and expressed confidence that mutual trust between the governing parties would remain intact despite mounting political pressures.
Discontent deepens over immigration and social assistance
At the same time, SPD co-chair Bärbel Bas stated that she was determined to do everything within her power to prevent the coalition from collapsing, warning that the principal beneficiary of such a breakdown would be the AfD. Bas additionally maintained that the federal government’s actual performance compared more favorably than its broader public image and political reputation suggested.
Bas’s remarks rejecting the notion that immigration into Germany’s welfare system represented a major issue triggered significant criticism within the CDU/CSU parliamentary alliance. Deputy parliamentary group leader Günter Krings (CDU) argued that Germany’s existing welfare framework had, in practice, created incentives for irregular migration. He stated that the coalition was therefore seeking to reduce these incentives while implementing European asylum responsibilities more rigorously through the expanded use of border rejections. Krings further contended that Germany was increasingly confronted with the problem of migrants from other EU member states working only limited hours while relying extensively on social assistance benefits, describing the matter as an issue requiring urgent political attention.
CDU parliamentarian Caroline Bosbach likewise rejected Bas’s assessment, arguing that existing statistical evidence clearly demonstrated the existence of migration into Germany’s welfare system. According to Bosbach, continued denial of the problem only contributed to its further escalation, as the structure of Germany’s social security system continued to provide incentives that, in her view, required substantial political and structural reform.
Audio: TTSFree
