Germany's minimum wage will increase by about 14% over the next 18 months, according to the recommendation of a commission bringing together representatives of employers and trade unions.

The minimum hourly rate will first rise from 12.82 euros to 13.90 euros at the beginning of 2026, and a year later to 14.60 euros, writes index.hr.

The head of the commission, Christiane Schönefeld, pointed out that the agreement was reached despite difficult negotiations and economic uncertainty. The minimum wage in Germany has existed since 2015, when it amounted to 8.50 euros per hour, and since then it has been regularly revised. The only political intervention was in 2022, when Olaf Scholz's government increased the minimum wage to 12 euros per hour.

During the negotiations, the Social Democrats advocated in their campaign for this year's elections for an increase in the minimum wage to 15 euros per hour, but somewhat smaller increases were ultimately agreed. Labour Minister Bärbel Bas announced the implementation of the commission's recommendation, emphasizing that they had "of course wanted more for the people in this country", but praised the consensus that was reached.