German coalition clashes over pension reform

A major dispute has erupted within Germany's ruling coalition over the future of the statutory pension system. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) has announced 'bitter resistance' to proposals by CDU leader and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which are seen as favoring private provision over the social security model. The conflict is straining the coalition government and centers on a fundamental ideological clash about the role of the state versus individual responsibility in retirement planning.