After the CDU party conference concluded, party leader and Chancellor Friedrich Merz defended a hard stance on the debt‑break but simultaneously pledged to honor the agreement with the coalition partner.
Merz remarked that, “We have a clear agreement in the coalition contract that we’ll have this examined”. The core message he emphasized was: “In this election period, we will take on enough debt for both defense and infrastructure. I see no room-something I also told the finance minister-to increase debt further in the foreseeable future”.
He added that borrowing must be limited, noting that this concerns monetary and financial‑market stability, where the margins are largely exhausted.
The conference had also rejected an extensive resolution from younger CDU politicians, including the proposal to end the “retirement at 63”. Merz clarified that this does not preclude the pension commission from ultimately reaching relevant outcomes. “The Young Union’s proposals are worthwhile in many respects” he said. “The chairman of the young group sits on that commission, so he can bring his ideas there. If he can secure majority support in the commission-‘à la bonheur,'” the Chancellor added.