US EditionCan new German chancellor Merz cure the 'sick man of Europe’?
- Friedrich Merz became Germany's federal chancellor in early 2025 and visited Brussels to discuss EU defense and fiscal policies with Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa.
- His visit followed von der Leyen's unveiling of the 'Readiness 2030' plan in early March, which proposed €150 billion in low-interest loans to boost EU military investment.
- Merz spearheaded a constitutional amendment exempting defense spending above 1% of GDP from Germany's debt brake, while warning debt should remain an exceptional EU measure limited to specific crises.
- He emphasized that taking on debt at the EU level should be a rare measure, reserved only for extraordinary situations, to prevent ongoing shared financial obligations across member states.
- The upcoming EU budget debate for 2028-2032 will be complex and potentially explosive, requiring Germany and France to find common ground amid differing views on defense spending and fiscal rules.
33 Articles
33 Articles
New government: Berlin is not Weimar
Germany is back again, according to the almost unanimous opinion from European countries. It is precisely because Friedrich Merz comes from the old CDU world that he could be able to find his way around the new one – and shape Germany into a leading middle power.
Germany’s New Chancellor Is a Man Without Qualities
Friedrich Merz, Germany’s new chancellor, is the worst possible man for the job. Throughout his career, he has held a dogged commitment to a neoliberal ideology that has destroyed Europe’s social fabric. Friedrich Merz speaks during a joint press conference with Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte (R) at NATO headquarters on May 9, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. (Omar Havana / Getty Images) There is a telling rumor in Berlin political circles. Upo…
(S+) Chancellor's inaugural visit: Merz is back in Brussels – and will tell you where it goes
Friedrich Merz wants to be a better European than his predecessor Olaf Scholz. However, during his inaugural visit to Brussels, a chancellor was to be seen, with clear announcements apparently more important than diplomacy.
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