German SPD party proposes higher inheritance tax, sparking political debate

The Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Germany has put forward a detailed plan to reform the country's inheritance tax. The proposal aims to increase taxes on large inheritances, which has drawn immediate criticism from the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its leader Friedrich Merz.

This tax debate is part of a broader political clash. Merz and the CDU have also criticized what they call 'lifestyle part-time' work and have called for changes to labor laws, which the SPD has strongly rejected.