During the Christian Democratic Workers’ Association (CDA) conference, Merz emphasized the importance of maintaining statutory pensions as a foundational element of the retirement system. He acknowledged the need for comprehensive reforms across all three pillars of retirement provision—statutory, occupational, and private—while advocating for a stronger emphasis on capital market-based systems to enhance workers’ participation in economic growth. Merz’s statements aim to mitigate tensions within his party and among labor representatives regarding the future of pension policies.