German Debt Brake Reform Blocked by Commission of Opponents

A government-appointed commission has failed to reach a compromise on reforming Germany's debt brake (Schuldenbremse), effectively shelving the project. The commission, tasked with finding a new design, produced three different reform proposals but no agreement. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) appeared unfazed, answering journalists' questions calmly at the summer press conference. The commission was deliberately stacked from the start with members known to oppose reform, making the outcome predictable. The failure means that with the black-red coalition, no further reform of the debt brake will occur.