Rarely has a German top politician expressed themselves so sharply against the USA.
The government in Washington is "indifferent" to Europe's fate. Donald Trump and Elon Musk are no better than Russia in their "shameless" attempts at electoral interference. Europe should make itself independent of American protection – and as soon as possible.
The statements on German TV on election night testify to the serious situation for Germany and Europe – but also reveal Friedrich Merz's power ambitions.
The 69-year-old Christian Democrat, raised in a Catholic home in the picturesque Sauerland, trained as a lawyer like his father, and joined the CDU as a teenager. He is a passionate aviation enthusiast and owns a private jet, which he likes to fly himself between his hometown Arnsberg and Berlin. He sits behind the controls himself.
Could never forgive Merkel
In the early 2000s, Merz became the group leader for the Christian Democrats in the Bundestag, but the collaboration with the newly elected party leader Angela Merkel cracked. The conflict came to a head in 2002, when Merkel, with the support of the Bavarian CSU, dismissed Merz from his post, something he could never forgive.
In 2009, Merz left politics to work in business, including for the American asset manager Blackrock. In 2022, he took over as party leader of the CDU, after having tried to be elected both in 2018 and 2020.
And now the Merkel era is definitely history. Much of what "Mutti" stood for – a reactive leadership style, generous migration policy, and not least trust in peaceful coexistence with Russia – has become passé. The charismatic and combative Merz has thus finally gotten his revenge.
When the future Chancellor took the stage at the CDU's election party about half an hour after the polls closed, the tone was serious. Europe is not waiting. When the USA turns its back on its allies, Germany must lead. A new government should be in place by Easter.
Promises forward-looking Germany
First, difficult coalition negotiations with the Social Democrats await, although many breathed a sigh of relief when the newly formed left-wing party BSW fell just short of the finish line with only a few thousand votes too few to enter parliament.
With the bureaucratic Olaf Scholz in power, France's Emmanuel Macron has often been able to speak for Europe, not least when the government in Berlin has been preoccupied with internal squabbles.
Now, this may change – Merz promises a much more forward-looking Germany, both politically and militarily. The latter will cost money. Specifically: enormous amounts of money. Where it will come from, no one has wanted to talk about during the election campaign.
On election night, Merz called SPD leader Lars Klingbeil. A not-too-bold guess is that the calculator has already been pulled out.
