By Andreas Rinke

BERLIN, Dec 2 (Reuters) – Conservative legislators in Germany voted by a large majority in favour of a contested pension reform package in what had been billed as a trial ballot ahead of a full parliamentary vote on the move, a person present at the caucus meeting said.

The result reduces the risk of further strife within conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition with the Social Democrats, who together have a slender governing majority of only 12 votes in Germany’s parliament.

The conservatives’ youth wing and the group of younger conservative legislators have misgivings over the reform, which will keep the state pension at its current level of 48% of the average wage until 2031.

Merz and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt both spoke vehemently in favour of

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