German chancellor Friedrich Merz: German Welfare is Not Sustainable – German Welfare System Will Collapse

The German welfare state is no longer financially sustainable, Friedrich Merz said on Saturday.

The chancellor argued for a fundamental reassessment of the benefits system as spending continues to soar past last year’s record of €47bn (£40bn).

In a state-level party conference meeting on Saturday, Mr Merz said: “The welfare state as we have it today can no longer be financed with what we can economically afford.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/24/friedrich-merz-germany-welfare-state-benefits-unsustainable/