Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the governing coalition have introduced a 34-point reform agenda aimed at enhancing national competitiveness and addressing systemic economic stagnation.

總理 Friedrich Merz 與執政聯盟推出了一項包含 34 點的改革議程，旨在提升國家競爭力並解決系統性經濟停滯問題。

The 'Programme for Revival and Employment' constitutes a strategic effort to mitigate structural weaknesses and counter the electoral ascent of the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Central to this initiative is a fiscal redistribution strategy providing approximately €10 billion in annual income tax relief for low- and middle-income households, financed by an increase in the top tax rate to 47% for high earners. Concurrently, the administration seeks to optimize labor productivity by eliminating telephone-based medical certifications and requiring physician-validated sick notes from the first day of absence. Further labor market flexibility is pursued through the extension of fixed-term contract durations to 48 months and the implementation of revised dismissal protocols for high-income personnel.

「復甦與就業計劃」是一項策略性嘗試，旨在減輕結構性弱點並對抗「德國選擇黨」(AfD) 在選舉中的崛起。此倡議的核心是財政重新分配策略，透過將高收入者的最高稅率提高至 47%，為低於及中等收入家庭每年提供約 100 億歐元的所得稅減免。同時，政府尋求透過取消電話醫療證明，並要求從請假第一天起即需提供經醫師驗證的病假單，以優化勞動生產力。此外，政府透過將定期契約期限延長至 48 個月，以及對高薪人員實施修訂後的解僱協議，以追求進一步的勞動力市場靈活性。

Institutional adjustments extend to the social security apparatus, with the government committing to the full adoption of a pension commission's recommendations. This transition involves the introduction of an investment-based component and a gradual escalation of the retirement age, potentially exceeding 67 years. To ensure legal certainty for property owners, the coalition has agreed to prohibit the state-level nationalization of private rental housing, while simultaneously establishing a federal entity to facilitate the construction of affordable residential units.

制度調整延伸至社會安全體系，政府承諾將全面採納退休金委員會的建議。此次轉型涉及引入投資型組成部分以及逐步提高退休年齡，可能將超過 67 歲。為確保業主的法律確定性，執政聯盟已同意禁止州級政府將私人租賃住房國有化，同時成立一個聯邦實體以促進可負擔住宅單位的建設。

Stakeholder reactions remain polarized. Industrial representatives and financial institutions, including Deutsche Bank and the Confederation of German Employers' Associations, have characterized the measures as a necessary corrective for competitiveness. Conversely, trade unions such as Verdi and IG Metall, alongside the German Medical Association, have critiqued the reforms. These entities argue that the stringent sick-leave requirements and expanded fixed-term contracts manifest a systemic mistrust of the workforce and risk overburdening the primary healthcare infrastructure. In the realm of foreign economic policy, Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has signaled a rapprochement with more protectionist strategies, emphasizing 'local content' requirements to reduce strategic dependencies on Chinese production.

利益相關者的反應依然兩極化。工業代表與金融機構（包括德意志銀行與德國雇主協會聯合會）將這些措施定調為恢復競爭力的必要修正。相反，如 Verdi 與 IG Metall 等工會，以及德國醫師協會則對改革提出批評。這些實體認為，嚴格的病假要求與擴大定期契約體現了對勞動力的系統性不信任，並可能導致基層醫療基礎設施過載。在對外經濟政策領域，副總理 Lars Klingbeil 示意將採取更趨保護主義的策略，強調「在地含量」要求，以減少對中國生產的策略性依賴。

The coalition intends to secure parliamentary approval for the primary components of this reform package by the end of 2026 to stabilize the domestic economy.

執政聯盟打算在 2026 年底前為此改革方案的主要部分獲得議會批准，以穩定國內經濟。