Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has issued a direct appeal to German citizens, urging them to support a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at revitalising the country's economy and global standing. In a video statement released on Thursday, the Chancellor emphasised that Germany must undertake significant changes to secure its future prosperity.
"We must get our country back in shape. We all need to work together," Merz stated in the video posted on platform X under the title "For the Citizens of Germany." The Chancellor outlined an ambitious vision focused on restoring Germany's competitive edge in the international arena, preserving industrial employment, and maintaining the nation's status as a prosperous country founded on freedom and peace.
Merz acknowledged that the reform process will not be without controversy. "Of course, there will be arguments and struggles" over the reforms planned for "the course of this year," he said. "Arguments will be exchanged, pros and cons debated. But one thing is clear: we must pursue these reforms."
The Chancellor's remarks come as the grand coalition government prepares to advance a series of significant policy changes before the summer recess. The reform package encompasses far-reaching modifications to Germany's healthcare and pension systems, alongside measures addressing economic policy and taxation.
Central to Merz's message was a commitment to ensuring that those who contribute most to society see tangible rewards for their efforts. "The message must ultimately be this: those who work, who are diligent, who are perhaps even willing to do a little more, they will have more left over at the end of the month," the Chancellor emphasised.
While the black-red coalition of CDU, CSU, and SPD has agreed on the broad strokes of the reform agenda, specific measures remain subject to negotiation among the coalition partners. The government aims to finalise and introduce these reforms before the parliamentary summer break, though concrete details are still being debated.
The reforms represent one of the most ambitious domestic policy initiatives undertaken by the coalition government since taking office, touching multiple pillars of Germany's social and economic framework.
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