Can German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stop the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany? Germany's coalition government has launched sweeping reforms on the economy, pensions and welfare. Merz is
The politicians and elites through sheer arrogance fail the German people and then tax the German people for their failures! I'm honestly surprised we haven't had a populist takeover already
You will never fix Hermany until you remove the Globalists who simply want to make money on Global markets! The same thing in America! Money runs the world and they dont care about you or me! They only care about their own wealth!
22:50 - Germany has a statutory pension insurance system — about a quarter of its funds come from taxes. On average, one out of two German employees also has an occupational pension scheme.
According to 2025 OECD data, Germany's mandatory system provides retirees with pensions that equate to about 53% of their take-home pay. That is less than the OECD average.
In its 2025 election campaign program, the far-right AfD said its long-term goal was to provide retirees with 70% of their final net earnings. The party has listed measures that it claims would achieve that aim, but economists have argued that it does not sufficiently explain how the higher pension spending would be financed.
Germany’s expert commission on pension system reform also suggested a level of 70% as a target in its recent recommendations. However, the commission’s figure includes not just statutory pensions, but occupational and private pensions, too.
The current OECD figure for Germany already stands at 68% when voluntary private pension schemes are included in the calculation.
More context on the pension reform commission's suggestions:
p.dw.com/p/5Frn1
p.dw.com/p/4dhA5
www.bmas.de/SharedDocs/Downlo
At last some is focusing on the " tax on poor to subsidise wealthy people."
It's high time Germany stops subsidising capital Gains, wealth tax, inheritance tax, all the tax exemptions for wealthy people. They can still afford food and heating without these subsidies
Everything mentioned in this podcast is known for the last 25 years in Germany. There is probably no single expert left that hasn't preached it already a zillion times in media.
But politics refuse to seriously tax the wealthy part of society that was spared in the last decades while others had no increase in welfare.
So, let's prepare for the pictures of parades of people carrying torches in autumn this year after the AfD has won majority of the seats in the parliaments of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg Vorpommern.
What's the problem with part-time? This does not change productivity (work per hour).
On the opposite, give people part time and compensate by hiring more people. Safe money by allowing more Home Office.
Anyone who heard the word "reform" uttered by a politician should run for the hills,because its a guarantee for that things are getting worse than they already are.
I’m fascinated by what is happening in Germany and across the EU right now. In many ways, it feels similar to the United States: most people seem to know what the major issues are, but the hard part is having the political will to address them honestly and early enough.
The problem is that middle class working full time here pays for everyone else but doesn't get anything in return: higher taxes, expensive rented apartments without wbs, now increased retirement age etc. Afd is a response to Merkel's politics ( look at the data when afd started growing ). Maybe it would make sense to dig deeper why afd is gaining popularity and why isnt there any serious party to stop it? CDU is just copying their ultra-right agenda to gain new voters, how pathetic it is. Just ignoring them forever won't end up problems
After its first year in office, Germany's coalition government plans to push through sweeping changes with the goal of reviving a sluggish economy. Measures include €10 billion ($11.4 billion) in income tax relief, the end of phone-based sick notes, and pension eligibility adjustments by the end of 2026.
More on what’s in the reform package: German coalition agrees on changes to pensions, tax rates p.dw.com/p/5GSjN
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According to 2025 OECD data, Germany's mandatory system provides retirees with pensions that equate to about 53% of their take-home pay. That is less than the OECD average.
In its 2025 election campaign program, the far-right AfD said its long-term goal was to provide retirees with 70% of their final net earnings. The party has listed measures that it claims would achieve that aim, but economists have argued that it does not sufficiently explain how the higher pension spending would be financed.
Germany’s expert commission on pension system reform also suggested a level of 70% as a target in its recent recommendations. However, the commission’s figure includes not just statutory pensions, but occupational and private pensions, too.
The current OECD figure for Germany already stands at 68% when voluntary private pension schemes are included in the calculation.
More context on the pension reform commission's suggestions:
p.dw.com/p/5Frn1
p.dw.com/p/4dhA5
www.bmas.de/SharedDocs/Downlo
It's high time Germany stops subsidising capital Gains, wealth tax, inheritance tax, all the tax exemptions for wealthy people. They can still afford food and heating without these subsidies
But politics refuse to seriously tax the wealthy part of society that was spared in the last decades while others had no increase in welfare.
So, let's prepare for the pictures of parades of people carrying torches in autumn this year after the AfD has won majority of the seats in the parliaments of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg Vorpommern.
On the opposite, give people part time and compensate by hiring more people. Safe money by allowing more Home Office.
More on what’s in the reform package: German coalition agrees on changes to pensions, tax rates p.dw.com/p/5GSjN