Steffen Bilger, first secretary of the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) faction in the Bundestag (German parliament), has expressed concern about the state of the ruling coalition of the CDU/CSU and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), saying the government must start implementing long-delayed reforms.
“The obstructionism and mutual accusations we have heard from the SPD in recent days are increasingly undermining confidence in the ability of politicians to act,“ Bilger told the Handelsblatt newspaper. “The coalition must immediately return to a constructive reform regime and deliver results,“ he added. At the same time, the politician expressed understanding for the criticism of the state of the German government by former Minister of Economics and Energy Peter Altmaier (CDU).
Altmaier, considered a close ally of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, had previously expressed the opinion that Germany could face a state crisis if the government fails to implement promised reforms before the summer break. Bilger noted that Altmaier is not alone in his criticism. “Many citizens are now turning to us, the politicians, and calling for our responsibility“, he explained. According to Bilger, the current challenges are enormous both domestically and internationally. “That is why the coalition of the CDU/CSU and the SPD must do everything possible to embrace reforms and move the country forward again“, he said.
The ruling coalition in Germany is going through difficult times. The disagreements between the partners have grown over key reforms that they have agreed to implement during the current legislative period. According to the newspaper “Bild“, citing its sources, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's inner circle has already considered the possibility of breaking up the coalition.
On April 28, Christian von Stetten, a member of the Bundestag from the CDU and head of the Parliamentary Group for Medium-Sized Enterprises, expressed the opinion that the German government under Merz's leadership would not last until the end of its term and would collapse early.
On May 6, it will be one year since the current German government took office. The positions of the CDU/CSU and the SPD are weakening significantly in the polls. Meanwhile, the “Alternative for Germany“ (AfD) is already leading in some polls, becoming the most popular party in Germany.