Merz faces fierce resistance from trade unionists as…

Merz faces fierce resistance from trade unionists as Germany strengthens its arms industry

12.05.2026 18:00 HotInfo

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces a serious political crisis after a year in office. According to polls by the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen agency, only 13 percent of Germans praise his work, while 85 percent are dissatisfied. Merz has thus become the least popular chancellor since the founding of the Federal Republic. Die Zeit ↗

The latest developments demonstrate growing resistance to his reform program. At the congress of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) in Berlin, Merz attempted to push through his plans for healthcare and pension system reform, but his speech was accompanied by whistling, booing, and mocking laughter from the delegates. The chancellor tried to defend his proposals by emphasizing that there was no malicious intent, and urgently called on the trade union to see the reforms as an opportunity rather than a threat. Despite his efforts at dialogue, however, his words found little support among the approximately 400 participants at the assembly. Federal Labor Minister Bärbel Bas also spoke at the congress with an appeal for reforms and an increased share of women's employment, while also attempting to explain her controversial statements about the social systems. aktuality.sk ↗

On the economic front, the government has decided to strengthen Germany's arms industrial base. According to reports from Spiegel magazine, the federal government has submitted an offer to the owning families of KNDS, the German-French tank manufacturer, for the state to become their owner. This step indicates Berlin's intention to strengthen control over the strategic defense sector. Der Standard ↗

The conflict with Donald Trump over Iran remains one of Merz's most fundamental problems. The American president has ordered the withdrawal of five thousand American soldiers from Germany over the next six to twelve months. Merz sharply criticized the Iranian attacks and called on Tehran to return to the negotiating table. On the domestic front, the government is being weakened by serious disputes within the coalition and economic problems — analyses by the Ifo institute warn of the risk of recession. Security experts warn that the withdrawal of American soldiers would have serious geopolitical consequences for European security. Spiegel.de ↗

On Record

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