Members of the Bundestag are due to receive an automatic salary increase in July, tied to the same inflation-adjustment mechanism used for public servants. The junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), together with the opposition Left Party, argue the rise should be cancelled given the current economic pressures.
Official figures show inflation at 2.9% in April 2026. Prices for everyday items such as coffee and eggs have risen by at least 14% since 2020, while heating oil and other fuels are up by around 20%. Household surveys indicate many families are in ‘saving mode’, and critics say a pay increase for MPs would be tone-deaf as citizens struggle with higher costs.
The senior coalition partner, the Christian Democrats (CDU), says the automatic system should stay in place. CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn told public broadcaster ARD that it is preferable to the pre-2014 practice when lawmakers decided their own pay rises. Left Party co-chair Heidi Reichinnek said MPs ‘earn enough’ and should show solidarity with the public. If enacted on July 1, the Bundestag base monthly salary before tax would rise from €11,833 to €12,330.