Scholz made the promise in a speech to SPD delegates who voted for him as their centre-left party's candidate for chancellor. His party is lagging both the Greens and Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in polls and is forecast to suffer its worst ever election result. "I will push for a minimum wage of 12 euros during my first year as chancellor," Scholz said. The SPD reluctantly joined a coalition with Merkel's conservative bloc after an election in 2017 despite stiff opposition from members who feared that a third alliance with Merkel would damage the party's working-class appeal. The SPD, which are on 14-16% in polls, last year pushed for the national minimum wage to increase in four stages, reaching 10.45 euros per hour by mid 2022.

Source: The Star May 09, 2021 15:33 UTC