Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Katherina Reiche (CDU), is increasing pressure within the federal government to reform the welfare state. Following a meeting in Berlin on Wednesday involving the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and other departments with state and municipal leaders, Reiche told the “Handelsblatt” (Thursday edition) that the proposals from the Social State Commission have been ready for review since the beginning of 2026. She praised the suggestions as well-thought-out, well-justified, and implementable. Reiche stressed the need for the government to demonstrate its seriousness by addressing the necessary structural reforms. She added that the coalition committee’s signals over the weekend indicated a focus on such structural changes, emphasizing that “contribution stability must be at the core of this”.