German MPs Suspend Planned Pay Raise, Unlike Their Israeli Counterparts

In contrast to Knesset members in Israel, members of Germany’s parliament are expected to suspend an automatic salary increase. The raise would have added nearly 500 euros, from 11,833 to 12,330 euros. The salary was due to rise as part of a mechanism tied to average wages in the economy. According to the German network DW, the move comes amid the country’s difficult economic situation.

The proposal in Germany has the support of all factions in the Bundestag and has already secured a majority to cancel the increase. The bill was placed on the parliamentary agenda for this evening, with final approval expected on June 30.

Members of parliament in Germany, like in many Western countries, often face public debate over pay increases, frequently in the context of a mechanism linked to average wages in the economy or to other indicators.

In a representative poll by the YouGov institute in Germany, 85% of respondents said Bundestag members should forgo the salary increase given the current situation. Fiscal pressure on the government and broader cost pressures have intensified criticism of official spending, and the coalition leadership is expected to meet to discuss reform plans, while budget negotiations and policy priorities continue to take shape. Against this backdrop, the governing parties added: “This is a matter of trust and responsibility in this situation, and members of parliament will make an additional contribution to the savings required.”

In Israel, by contrast, the mechanism for salary increases resumed operating last January after being suspended because of the war. The index in Israel is linked to average wages in the economy and the consumer price index, and it rose significantly after two years of stagnation. For example, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s salary rose by nearly 6,000 shekels, from 55,812 shekels to 61,491 shekels. President Isaac Herzog’s salary rose by about 6,000 shekels to 71,082.