The leader of the SPD in Germany, Barbel Bas, warned that the instability of the coalition government will increase if the pension reform agreed upon with the conservatives is not adopted.

Barbel Bas, the leader of the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Minister of Labor in Germany, emphasized on Tuesday that the coalition government could become unstable if parliament does not adopt a pension reform package. This was initially agreed upon in the coalition agreement with the conservative bloc led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Although the cabinet has approved a law, Merz is facing opposition from younger members of his party.

Bas stated that there is no possibility of modifying the bill, emphasizing that there is a firm agreement with CDU/CSU on the key elements of the reform. If the parliamentary vote, scheduled for December, is unsuccessful, Bas warned that there will be no reforms, and instability will increase. The government proposes that the reform be implemented from January 1, 2026, and the current compromise allows the SPD to fulfill electoral promises regarding pensions. However, a group of young conservatives wants changes to the bill for the post-2031 period.