Germany’s Autumn of Austerity
Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s draft budget for 2026 made perfectly clear: the German government has money, just not for social services or other projects that would improve life for the majority of the population. Indeed, the government is even running up new debts — for tanks, guns, and tax breaks for the rich — while telling everyday citizens to work longer hours for the country’s sake. In order to jump-start the economy, Merz is sweating workers while making cuts where they hurt most.
But people aren’t taking Merz’s so-called “autumn of reforms” lying down. Building on Die Linke’s surprise electoral victory and subsequent membership growth earlier this year, the Left is gearing up for a fight against fiscal conservatism and the far-right threat it feeds. Our latest dossier breaks down the government’s austerity offensive and the Left’s response.
