Kretschmer: Current pension policy exacerbates the problem

In the current pensions dispute, CDU vice-chairman Michael Kretschmer has taken the side of the party's young politicians. The criticism of young Union politicians is justified, Saxony's head of government told the Funke Mediengruppe. "The current pension policy is exacerbating the problem." When asked how this had come about, Kretschmer referred to the CSU and SPD: "The CSU pushed through the higher maternity pension in the coalition negotiations, and an end to the pension at 63 was not possible with the SPD."

The young group of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group is threatening to block the adoption of the pension package in parliament. The MPs' criticism is primarily directed at the billions of euros in follow-up costs that could arise from stabilizing the pension level after 2031.

The pension is a topic at the Junge Union (JU) Germany Day this weekend, which Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to attend. In an interview with the German Press Agency, JU chairman Johannes Winkel threatened to reject the pension package in the Bundestag if there are no changes.