Both parties are gearing up for next year's national election in which Merkel, in power since 2005, may seek a fourth term. The chancellor's popularity has dipped to a five-year low over her handling of the refugee crisis, and the right-wing, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was expected to make big gains in a state election on Sunday.
Schwesig said she was also pressing the government to spend about 100 million euros a year more to expand welfare payments to single parents to include children above the age of 12 and eliminate a six-year limit on the money.