Bundestag election: The new government is facing these big tasks

The new federal government faces major challenges. The coalition negotiations after the Bundestag election are about many “hot iron”. An overview:

External and security policy

A few days ago, a second security policy earthquake for Europeans followed a few days ago: The signs between Washington and Moscow are now under the new US President Donald Trump. In general, since the announcement of US Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference, the question of how resilient the relationship with the USA is.

In the Middle East conflict, too, the federal government, like all the EU countries, was cold from Trump’s proposal to “take over” the Gaza Strip and relocating the Palestinians living there. A convincing answer to this new style still has to be found in Berlin.

In order to deter Russia and, if necessary, also in a defense war, the Bundeswehr should be significantly upgraded after savings have been made for decades. Only: Where do the soldiers and the money come from? A model for a new military service was heavily controversial, was weakened and then failed with the traffic light.

The question of how it will continue financially after 2027 is also unanswered if the so -called special fund has been used up for the Bundeswehr. From 2028, at least 85 billion euros are necessary for the two percent destination, i.e. around 30 billion more than currently, said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). In the meantime, however, there is already talk of three percent or more.

All parties that are now a prospect of a government participation want a migration policy under the motto “Humanity and Order”, regarding asylum seekers, and at the same time pilot more specialists to Germany. However, there is disagreement about the question of how this should look and succeed.

What is certain is that the responsibilities and the cooperation between the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, the immigration authorities and the federal states have to be better regulated. Deportations in the Maghreb countries as well as to Afghanistan, Syria and Turkey are complex or very difficult-in the case of Syria, they do not take place at all.

One of the most important tasks in the new coalition will be the adoption of a federal budget for 2025. Until then, a preliminary housekeeping applies. The state continues to comply with legal obligations, which concerns expenses for retirement or citizen benefit. However, new projects cannot be initiated easily. The traffic light coalition had mainly failed because it could not agree on a household due to the scarce coffers due to the difficult economic situation.

The question of whether there is a reform of the debt brake anchored in the Basic Law, which provides only a limited admission of new debts.

The German economy has shrunk for the second year in a row in 2024 and is therefore in the recession for as long as it has not been for more than 20 years. Only mini growth is expected for this year. Associations see a structural crisis that the location of Germany has lost attractiveness. The reasons for the reasons are high energy prices, especially in international comparison, as well as a high tax and tax load and too much bureaucracy.

It could be even more uncomfortable for the export-oriented German economy if US President Trump should impose punitive tariffs on EU imports on a large scale. Then there is a threat of a trade conflict that could sensitively affect Germany.

High network charges in particular burden energy -intensive companies. The new federal government could cause relief here. But that would cost billions. In the new legislative period, it could also be about whether a climate field is coming to compensate for the increasing CO2 prize, for example, to fuel and heating heat.

It is also open how the state promotes the construction of new gas power plants. In the future, they should be available as a backup if the sun does not shine and the wind does not blow. The time of the coal phase -out also depends on this.

The topic of climate protection hardly played a role in TV debates from the candidates for chancellor. The Greens criticized this. They see themselves as a guarantee that Germany is going on and accelerating the pace. The Union’s election program states that Germany’s goal of climate neutrality was “firmly in sight” by 2045. At the same time, it is emphasized that climate protection needs a strong economy. The FDP plans to replace the goal of climate neutrality by 2050 by 2045. Above all, the heating law is controversial: Union and FDP want a fundamental change of course.

In aging Germany, more and more people are dependent on care. Nurses are urgently sought. Despite increased contributions, long -term care insurance warns of larger financial needs in 2026 and sees the situation “more seriously as ever”. A large reform that no longer came about before the election becomes all the more urgent after the election – also to relieve people in need of care and relatives of rising their own shares. There are various suggestions on the table: from grants from the federal budget to more private provision. There is also a need for reform in the case of statutory health insurance after the contributions had increased significantly at the beginning of the year.

The outgoing federal government wanted to financially relieve families and combat child poverty. Both have only been partially successful, for example through slight increases in services such as child benefit. A large construction site remains the better reconciliation of work and family: thousands of daycare places are still missing. The situation for children under the age of three is particularly dramatic: According to a study, there are no more than 300,000 places, especially in western Germany. This deficiency is one main reason that many women still work part -time, which tightens the shortage of labor in many industries.

The future of the nationwide Germany ticket in local and regional traffic is open. Former funds are only secured by the end of the year. The federal government gives a grant of 1.5 billion euros each year to compensate for loss of income for transport companies-because most public transport subscriptions were significantly more expensive beforehand. The countries contribute the same amount. From the Union’s point of view, there are open financing issues here.

According to the will of the Union, Deutsche Bahn is to be restructured. CDU and CSU want to separate the operation and infrastructure. In addition, it is about how the basic renovation of the partial dilapidated rail network should be financed in the medium and long term so that trains become more punctual. That costs many billions.

A reform of the aging Federal Police Act is intended to reorganize the powers of the civil servants and partially expand. For example, they should be able to take care of the deportation of foreigners who are obliged to leave, which are taken up where they are responsible – for example at train stations. Shortly before the Bundestag election 2021, a corresponding reform of the then black and red coalition in the Federal Council failed. After long debates in 2024, the traffic light coalition finally agreed on a new draft, which is sharply criticized by experts. A final advice in the Bundestag no longer occurred.

There are time pressure in protecting facilities that belong to the critical infrastructure (criticism), such as airports or energy suppliers. A so-called criticism roof law is intended to oblige companies to protect more. In order to meet the requirements of the European Union, it should have come into force in October 2024 at the latest. However, the draft law only reached the cabinet in November and then found no majority in the Bundestag after the traffic lights.