The basic pension favored by the SPD intensifies the tensions in the grand coalition. The biggest issue is the means test.
At the summit meeting of the coalition central questions remained open. The Presidents had spoken intensively about the basic pension developed by the SPD, said SPD Secretary General Lars Klingbeil on Deutschlandfunk. There is no consensus, one must continue talking to each other.
CSU boss Markus Söder repeated in the ZDF Morgenmagazin his criticism of the proposal of SPD labor minister Hubertus Heil to introduce the basic pension without a so-called means test. The proposal was not covered by the coalition agreement. „There was a clear agreement, and that is the need, which is actually a justice test,“ he said. Salvation wants retirees not to have to use up their assets before they can get ground rent. According to Heil, this pension will in future be higher for all, have paid contributions for 35 years. It is part of a concept for the welfare state that the SPD recently presented.
CDU chief Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, CSU leader Söder and the SPD chairman Andrea Nahleshatten talked calmly together, that was „a good sign“, described Klingbeil the atmosphere of conversation. Söder spoke of many similarities, but also „a lot“ work needs.
After the demarcation attempts of recent days, the leading representatives of the black-red government, according to information from the coalition on their work program for the next weeks and months advised. The participants of the round in the Chancellery had agreed to remain silent during the night. On March 14, the coalition want to meet again.
