The proposed increase in members’ salaries is facing criticism from several political factions. The Union party defends the current arrangement, with Steffen Bilger, the First Parliamentary Secretary for the Union faction, stating to the “Welt” (Wednesday edition) that the level of the allowance is no longer decided by political decisions but follows a transparent, automatic procedure. He added that the benchmark is the development of average wages from the previous year, meaning reductions are also possible. This mechanism, according to Bilger, ensures clarity and traceability.
The SPD faction also supports the system. Dirk Wiese, the First Parliamentary Secretary, confirmed the party’s commitment to the current process. He explained that they no longer vote on the height of the allowances for good reasons. The mechanism aligns with the development of average wages from the previous year and has proven reliable, allowing allowances to potentially decrease, as happened in 2021.
Similarly, the Greens defend the regulation, with Helge Limburg, the party’s spokesperson for legal affairs, telling a newspaper that they consider the adjustment mechanism for allowances crucial because it establishes transparency and prevents members from deciding on the adjustment themselves every year. While an suspension is possible, Limburg noted that it would require strong justification, and no concrete proposal has emerged for this purpose yet.
However, criticism comes from the rest of the opposition. Bernd Baumann, the First Parliamentary Secretary for the AfD faction, rejects the regulation in principle, pointing to previous efforts. He stated that the AfD has opposed the statutory rule, which automatically adjusts member allowances each year, since the beginning. Consequently, the party has repeatedly introduced motions calling for the abolition of this rule within the Members’ Law, most recently in the summer of 2025.
The Left party is also opposed to the planned increase. Ina Latendorf, the First Parliamentary Secretary, announced that the faction has rejected the planned allowance increase starting July 1, 2026, as in previous years. She cited the party’s fundamental stance, arguing that there is an urgent need for reform. Accordingly, the faction plans to initiate a parliamentary motion on the issue, repeating what was done in previous years.
Under the current calculation, the allowances for Bundestag members are set to rise by about 500 euros per month starting July 1, reaching approximately 12,330 euros gross. This is based on a legally established mechanism that links the allowances to the development of nominal wages. This adjustment falls within a period of planned reforms in the social welfare system, which are associated with both savings and increased burdens for citizens.