AfD launches pension campaign – reaction angers CDU campaigners

2026-08-07

Germany's pension reform has become a major political battleground just weeks before the Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt) state election, with the AfD launching a high-profile campaign while divisions within the CDU threaten its own election strategy.

The AfD has heavily focused its campaign on opposing the federal government's planned pension reforms, particularly the proposal to abolish the early retirement option for people who have contributed to the pension system for 45 years. The party argues that the changes would unfairly punish long-serving workers, especially in eastern Germany, where many people rely almost entirely on the state pension.

At the same time, CDU leaders in eastern Germany have complicated their own party's national strategy. Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt) Minister-President Sven Schulze and other eastern CDU leaders have openly criticized parts of the reform package, warning that the proposals fail to reflect the economic realities of eastern German states. Their public opposition has created tensions within Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU-led federal government.

Political observers say the disagreement risks strengthening the AfD's campaign. Instead of weakening the opposition's message, the internal CDU dispute has given the AfD an opportunity to claim that even governing party members admit the reform could disadvantage pensioners in eastern Germany. Critics within the CDU also fear the party's mixed messaging could confuse voters during the election campaign.

The pension reform remains one of the Merz government's flagship policy projects, but resistance from eastern state leaders has already raised questions about its future. With the Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt) election approaching, the debate is expected to remain at the center of Germany's political campaign, as both the CDU and AfD compete for the support of voters concerned about their retirement security.