Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (CDU) acknowledged having difficulties communicating with the public about the pension system, yet he simultaneously reaffirmed his highly debated position. During a recording session for the ARD show with Caren Miosga on Sunday, Merz admitted to being self-critical regarding his phrasing. Regarding his earlier assessment that the statutory pension would eventually serve, at best, as a basic safety net, he stated that when faced with negative reactions, he often asks himself, “What could you have said better?”. While promising to communicate “better” next time, he held firm on his core message: which remained unchanged. Furthermore, Merz was unequivocal when he stated that there are no members of the population who advocate for pension cuts, adding that such measures would not even be viable.

Merz