Merk threatens to dismiss SPD ministers and form a minority government

During a confidential gathering of the 25er-Gruppe—new Union parliamentarians slated for the 2025 Bundestag—Chancellor Friedrich Merk allegedly announced that a minority government might be unavoidable. Initially, he stated he did not desire a minority administration, yet he later declared he would readily remove SPD ministers should they persist in obstructing the reform agenda. Merk is reported to have told the newcomers that the coalition could be reconstituted with CDU officials if the SPD fails to honor agreements.

The discussion underscores mounting doubts within the CDU that the SPD will deliver the agreed-upon reform bills, especially concerning pension policy. A senior CDU figure also warned that Manuela Schwesig would not allow the abolition of the age-63 retirement plan championed by the SPD. The remarks signal heightened tension within Germany’s governing coalition.