Manuela Schwesig defends restaurant VAT cut and balks at federal pension reforms

Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern’s Minister President Manuela Schwesig said the reduced value‑added tax rate for meals in hotels and restaurants should remain in place, rejecting Finance Minister Monika Schnitzer’s demand to withdraw the measure. Schwesig argued the cut eases rising personnel and energy costs and helps a sector facing a wave of insolvencies.

Schwesig also voiced opposition to the German federal government’s pension reform proposals. She criticised plans to extend the statutory retirement age and to abolish the "Rente mit 63", stating, "I consider the increase of the retirement age and the link to life expectancy to be wrong." She called for pension eligibility to be based on years of contributions and for a broader contributor base, including new civil servants, to support the system.