All articles tagged with #merz
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed that about 80% of Syrians living in Germany should return to Syria within three years, with exceptions for essential workers; he argues the civil war is over and Syria's reconstruction will rely on voluntary returns, while opponents and diaspora are divided and protests occurred during President Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met in Berlin, with Merz signaling that many Syrians could return home as bilateral ties are discussed.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has cooled his earlier alignment with Trump over regime change in Iran, warning that the war is raising Germany’s energy costs and risking migration and broader economic and security damage; he now questions the exit strategy and says Berlin should pursue ending the conflict through talks with the G7 and Israel, amid coalition pressure and EU concern over Ukraine and Russia.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to the Oval Office aiming to steer Trump on Ukraine and European trade, but largely remained deferential and silent as the president berated Spain and other allies; the optics underscored Germany’s limited leverage with a volatile U.S. president and left open whether Merz’s strategy of private persuasion can secure concessions on Ukraine, Iran, and defense spending.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged a fair rebalance of Germany’s trade with China to shrink a €90 billion 2025 deficit driven by Chinese overcapacity, calling for transparency, level competition and rule-based trade; he traveled with a business delegation, noted potential Airbus orders, and pressed China to influence Moscow to end Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Beijing that China will place a larger order for Airbus jets—up to 120 additional aircraft—as part of his visit to deepen Sino-German ties, meeting Xi Jinping and Li Qiang. He urged a balanced, fair partnership and a level playing field for German firms, with the trip also including a stop in Hangzhou to engage tech firms like Unitree Robotics.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz begins his first official trip to China with talks in Beijing on market access and a growing trade imbalance, while addressing competition from Chinese firms and Beijing’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. He cautions that China should not be expected to reshape the global order, emphasizes Germany’s de-risking of dependence on China, and pursues pragmatic cooperation during a two-day visit that includes Hangzhou and a Mercedes plant, before a planned Washington trip.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz travels to Beijing amid the expanding 'China shock' that has turned China from a growth engine into a strategic headache for Germany, with a 2025 trade deficit near €90 billion and about 10,000 manufacturing jobs lost each month; industry leaders call for tougher action on subsidies and de-risking of supply chains, while Merz tries to balance engagement with the risk of rising protectionism in a tense global trade environment.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned at the Munich Security Conference of a deep rift between Europe and the United States, urging both sides to repair transatlantic trust amid new great-power rivalry and saying the international order based on rights and rules is being destroyed. He stressed Europe’s commitment to climate accords and the WHO, defended free trade, and signaled talks with France on nuclear deterrence as part of strengthening the alliance, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who met Merz in Munich, emphasized continued coordination on Ukraine, supply chains, and reconstruction.
As a crowded year of state elections approaches, Merz’s CDU is trying to blunt the AfD’s rise in eastern Germany, notably in Saxony-Anhalt where veteran premier Haseloff steps down and Sven Schulze takes the lead ahead of the Sept. 6 vote to prevent the far-right from potentially winning a governing majority.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz say they would have joined Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” but constitutional provisions in Italy and Germany prevent participation, a stance intended to avoid offending the U.S. president. They floated possible alternatives while EU leaders discussed Trump’s plan amid tensions over tariffs and Trump threats, reaffirming the UN as the primary multilateral forum. Only Hungary and Bulgaria have joined Trump’s initiative, reflecting widespread EU caution about the governance structure and invites to other regimes.
At Davos, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed Trump’s decision not to use force to seize Greenland and to drop tariffs, but warned that a new era of great-power rivalry is taking shape. He urged Europe to boost defense spending, raise economic competitiveness, and stay united, while advancing open, rules-based trade and strengthening the transatlantic alliance. He highlighted the need to push for new trade deals (including Mercosur) and to resist protectionism as the EU navigates a world where power and force increasingly matter.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz seeks a level‑headed, common EU response to Donald Trump’s tariff threats to avoid a Europe‑U.S. trade war, hoping Germany and France can align before EU leaders meet. Macron pushes Brussels to activate the EU’s Anti‑Coercion Instrument for a tougher, united response, while Merz keeps the door open to retaliation if needed and plans to press Trump at Davos for a negotiated outcome.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed optimism in his New Year's address, highlighting the challenges faced in 2025 such as the Ukraine war, economic pressures, and technological changes, while emphasizing the need for reforms and asserting that 2026 could be a year of renewal and new beginnings for Germany and Europe.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized the need for Europe to assert its interests more strongly in 2026 to ensure peace and prosperity, citing threats from Russian aggression, global protectionism, and changing U.S. relations, while calling for increased European independence and confidence.