The leaders of CDU, CSU, and SPD have declared 2026 the 'year of getting down to business' in their first coalition committee meeting this year and presented a masterplan for greater resilience. The focus is on protecting critical infrastructure following an attack on Berlin's power supply. Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that security takes precedence over transparency.
On January 28, 2026, the coalition leaders met at the Chancellery in Berlin for the first coalition committee of the year. SPD leader Bärbel Bas declared 2026 the 'year of getting down to business,' highlighting economic strength, defense capability, and social cohesion. CSU leader Markus Söder called the six-page decision paper a 'masterplan for the coming weeks.' CDU Chancellor Friedrich Merz focused on innovation, productivity, and competitiveness.
The backdrop includes the government's disastrous poll ratings after initial disputes and the lowered growth forecast to one percent for 2026, announced by Economics Minister Katherina Reiche. Positively, Merz congratulated the German handball team on their 38:34 EM victory over defending champions France.
A central topic was protecting critical infrastructure following the arson attack by the left-extremist 'Vulkangruppe' in early January on a cable bridge in southwest Berlin. This left tens of thousands of households without power and heat for days. The paper calls for a paradigm shift: Sensitive geodata and information on facilities like power lines should be reduced, as they facilitate attacks. 'Security takes precedence over transparency,' Merz said. Söder pointed to Bavaria's first state office for population protection.
The 'Agenda for Resilience and Greater Sovereignty' covers investments, skilled worker immigration, and reforms to social security systems. Merz advocated for the euro as a leading currency alongside the US dollar and a digital euro in business transactions, with SPD leader Lars Klingbeil clarifying: 'It's not about replacing cash.'
On the social state reform commission's recommendations submitted on Tuesday, Merz reacted sharply to criticism from the Young Union: 'The commission was not tasked with considering cuts to social benefits.' Bas praised the 'spirit of unity.' Klingbeil emphasized: 'We are a strong country.' The coalition plans to await the upcoming debt brake reform.
Additionally, companies should be supported in protection measures, stricter EU rules demanded, and supply chains diversified. The Critical Infrastructure Roof Law was passed in the Bundestag.
