Merz Under Threat as Business Warns of Germany’s ‘Free Fall’

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s unwieldy ruling alliance with the Social Democrats is facing an existential crisis of its own making that could trigger its demise after only seven months in office.

The latest challenge to the embattled conservative leader’s authority comes from within his own Christian Democratic Union, after a group of about 18 younger CDU lawmakers rebelled against a pension bill due to go to a final vote in the Bundestag on Friday.