Pension war: Young Union calls for radical reforms against the government!

Pension war: Young Union calls for radical reforms against the government!

The current political disputes in Germany are becoming increasingly widespread. On November 8, 2025, the focus will be on the federal government's controversial "pension package", which is met with strong criticism not only from the population, but especially from the Junge Union (JU). As the FAZ reported, the young Christian Democrats want to point out the urgency of structural reforms with their rejection. The expected additional costs of over 200 billion euros by 2040 could make the future generation unable to breathe.

The Federal Chancellor and CDU chairman Friedrich Merz is expected at the upcoming JU event. This event is a key moment because without the JU's votes, things could get tight for the black-red coalition. The coalition agreement includes stronger pension increases, which represent an important business basis for the SPD. But the JU leaves it open whether it will agree to the pension package and is calling for drastic measures, such as raising the retirement age and taking greater account of demographic change in future pension increases.

The background to the pension package

The Junge Union is calling for the pension commission to be set up immediately, which has not yet taken action. The SPD plans to postpone the working phase of this commission until 2027, which will hinder the implementation of the necessary structural reforms. The JU MPs see an urgent need for action to slow the increase in pension spending and create more scope for important investments in education, future technologies and infrastructure.

A central concern is also the demand of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), which calls for an increase in pension levels. In fact, the pension package, which is due to come into force on January 1, 2026, is a hotly anticipated issue and the JU feels that without its support the reforms made cannot be implemented.

A look into the future

A futuristic view, which goes far beyond the current pension debate, could remind us of the film “Interstellar”. This is about saving humanity in a time of food crises and teaches that historical achievements were a delusion. In a world where all hopes rest on the space adventurer Cooper, the question arises as to what lessons we can learn from the past.

Especially now, when policymakers may need to have the same courage and foresight to make unpopular decisions for the future. In a seemingly hopeless scenario, as shown in the film, determination and planning ultimately save humanity.

In this context, it is even more important to deal with current political decisions. One lesson from “Interstellar” could be that major challenges can often only be overcome through innovative approaches and courageous reforms. It remains to be seen whether these lessons will also bear fruit in politics.

In today's world, it is necessary to turn to pragmatic approaches to overcome the challenges we face. The question will be whether decision-makers have the courage to set the right course for the future - a future in which not only the pension issue, but also education and technologies for future generations must be ensured.

The connection between our political future and the needs of young people and society as a whole is essential. The Junge Union's critical stance in particular could act as a catalyst for necessary changes in order to make not only pension policy but also other social challenges future-proof.