Merz Urges Unity in Germany’s Coalition Amid Political Tensions

Reuters

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for unity within his struggling governing coalition, warning on Saturday that Germany faced growing threats from political extremists and what he described as daily Russian attempts to destabilise the country.

Speaking at a conference of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party of his conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Merz said Germany was confronting “extraordinarily serious challenges”.

“How do we safeguard our freedom and our security in Europe, in the face of growing threats from extremists within and foreign powers from without?” he asked, adding that Russia was seeking “to destabilise Germany on a daily basis”.

Relations between Berlin and Moscow have deteriorated to their lowest point since the Cold War following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Moscow, however, rejects accusations that it is conducting a hybrid campaign against Germany and other European countries.

Merz’s remarks come after weeks of tension within the governing coalition, following heavy regional election defeats in eastern Germany. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged as the leading party in two states, while the far-left Left Party topped the polls in Berlin.

Merz’s approval ratings have fallen to record lows, with tensions emerging both between coalition partners and between the CDU and CSU.

Although the two conservative sister parties have a long history of disagreements, they have generally managed to resolve their differences.

Delegates at Saturday’s conference broke into loud applause when Merz mentioned Ilse Aigner, the CSU politician proposed by her party as a potential successor to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is due to leave office next year.

The CDU has yet to endorse Aigner, and party sources say it has not ruled out putting forward its own candidate for the largely ceremonial role of head of state.

Merz entered the conference hall to the sound of a Bavarian brass band playing “The Eye of the Tiger”. He praised CSU ministers serving in the government and paid tribute to CSU leader Markus Söder.

He also reiterated his opposition to calls from some conservatives to explore cooperation with the AfD, which leads national opinion polls. Merz said any politician who voted alongside the far-right party “has no place in our Union”.

He urged the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens not to form a coalition with the Left Party in Berlin, accusing the latter of tolerating antisemitism within its ranks. The Left Party denies that antisemitism is systemic within the organisation.

Merz said swift reforms to Germany’s pension, tax and welfare systems were essential to revitalise the economy and restore public confidence in state institutions.

Source: Reuters



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