Berlin, April 11, 2026
The labor wing of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has called for the immediate dismissal of Economy Minister Katherina Reiche, accusing her of undermining Chancellor Friedrich Merz and opposing party unity.
Christian Bäumler, deputy chairman of the CDU’s employee representation wing, told public broadcaster SWR that a "Auswechslung" (replacement) of the minister was unavoidable, citing her resistance to Merz’s leadership. The demand follows Reiche’s sharp criticism of proposals by the Social Democratic Party (SPD), including a windfall tax, which she labeled as economically and constitutionally flawed.
Internal CDU Tensions Escalate
The public rift within the CDU has deepened as Reiche openly challenged her own party’s leadership. Bäumler emphasized that her opposition to Merz had made her position untenable. "Eine 'Auswechslung' der Ministerin sei unumgänglich, auch weil sich Reiche Kanzler Friedrich Merz (CDU) widersetzt habe," he said, framing the conflict as a matter of party discipline.
Reiche, however, has not backed down. In a press conference, she dismissed SPD policies, including the proposed windfall tax, as "teuer, wirkungsschwach und verfassungsrechtlich fragwürdig" (expensive, ineffective, and constitutionally questionable). Her remarks were seen as a direct rebuke to the SPD-led coalition’s economic agenda, further straining relations within the government.