German eastern state leaders confront Chancellor Merz over wind farms and pension reforms

Saxon Minister President Michael Kretschmer defended the state’s wind‑farm expansion plan, reiterating the 1.3 percent land‑use target despite criticism and local opposition. He warned that the CDU‑led government would not halt the expansion, even as several districts voted for a stop.

Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern Minister President Manuela Schwesig accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz of using a wrong tone on the east, criticizing his remarks on work hours and the planned removal of a pension entitlement after 45 contribution years. Schwesig called for fundamental changes to the federal pension reform, arguing it would disproportionately affect Eastern Germans.

Both leaders expressed frustration with the federal government’s policies, highlighting regional tensions over energy infrastructure and social security reforms in eastern Germany.