Thorsten Alsleben, managing director of the Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft, expressed significant disappointment with CDU leader Friedrich Merz's reform promises following the CDU's federal party congress. Alsleben stated that despite a "dramatic global situation," the proposed reforms were insufficient, particularly in the context of the ongoing rent commission discussions and the potential economic fallout from U.S. President Trump's proposed tariff increases. He highlighted the need for more substantial policy changes to address current challenges, implying a disconnect between the party's rhetoric and the urgency of the global economic and political landscape.