Following Deputy Chancellor Lars Klingbeil’s reform push, the Union’s leadership aligned its strategy for the forthcoming negotiations. According to Handelsblatt, drawing on sources within the government, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, CSU leader Markus Söder, Union parliamentary group head Jens Spahn, and CDU general‑secretary Carsten Linnemann met privately in Berlin on Thursday evening.
The meeting coincided with Söder’s presence in the capital for a Bundesrat session. That night the Union’s regional premiers typically hold their “Kaminrunde” (taper‑room) dinner, where Merz, Söder, Spahn, and Linnemann reportedly discussed the upcoming reforms. Additional, more focused conversations were held later among the four leaders.
They focused on formulating a coherent strategy for the next phase of the reform process, while also attempting to smooth over friction between the CDU and CSU. The CSU had earlier rejected proposals such as a higher top tax rate and a VAT increase, whereas Merz had stated he would not publicly rule out any measures. It remains unclear whether the discussions led to any concrete convergence on these points.