After busy first 100 days, Germany's Friedrich Merz faces discord at home
Friedrich Merz
has driven sweeping changes in security, economic and
migration policy
during his first 100 days in office, but faces widening cracks in his uneasy coalition.
On election night in February, a jubilant Merz promised to bring a bit of "rambo zambo" to the post -- using a colloquialism that can evoke a wild and joyous ride, or chaos and mayhem.
Productivity Tool
Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide
By Metla Sudha Sekhar
View Program
Finance
Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory
By Dinesh Nagpal
View Program
Finance
Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code
By CA Rahul Gupta
View Program
Digital Marketing
Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel
By Neil Patel
View Program
Finance
Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading
By Kunal Patel
View Program
Productivity Tool
Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide
By Study at home
View Program
Artificial Intelligence
AI For Business Professionals Batch 2
By Ansh Mehra
View Program
Having achieved his life's ambition at age 69 to run Europe's top economy, Merz lost no time to push change, mostly in response to transatlantic turbulence sparked by US President Donald Trump.
"
Germany
is back," Merz said, vowing to revive the economy, the military and Berlin's international standing after what he labelled three lacklustre years under his centre-left predecessor Olaf Scholz.
Even before taking office, Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and their governing partners from Scholz's
Social Democratic party
(SPD) loosened debt rules and unlocked hundreds of billions of euros for Germany's armed forces and its crumbling infrastructure.
Live Events
Merz vowed to build "Europe's largest conventional army" in the face of a hostile Russia and keep up strong support for
Ukraine
in lockstep with Paris and London.
A promise to ramp up
NATO
spending endeared Merz to Trump, who greeted him warmly at a White House meeting in June, only weeks after a jarring Oval Office showdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
When Israel bombed Iranian targets, Merz, with a penchant for strong and often controversial one-liners, praised it for doing the "dirty work" -- but last Friday he took the bold step of freezing arms exports to Israel over its Gaza campaign.
Migration crackdown
On the home front, Merz has pressed a crackdown on irregular migration, a sharp departure from the centrist course of his long-time party rival Angela Merkel.
He has said he must address voter concerns about immigration to stem the rise of the far-right
Alternative for Germany
(AfD) party, which won a record 20 percent in February's election.
Merz's heavy focus on global events has earned him the moniker of "foreign chancellor" -- but trouble looms at home, where his SPD allies have often felt overshadowed or sidelined.
To many of them, Merz's right-wing positions have been hard to swallow in the marriage of convenience they entered following the SPD's dismal election outcome of 16 percent.
German voters have not yet fallen in love with Merz either. His personal approval rating slipped 10 points to just 32 percent in the latest poll by public broadcaster ARD.
Judge row
In an early sign of trouble, Merz's inauguration on May 6 turned into a white-knuckle ride when rebel MPs opposed him in the first round of the secret ballot.
He was confirmed in the second round, but the debacle pointed to simmering resentment in the left-right coalition.
Many have chafed at his hard line on immigration, his vow to slash social welfare and his limited enthusiasm for climate protection.
Merz also sparked controversy when he dismissed plans to hoist an LGBTQ rainbow flag on the parliament building by saying the Reichstag was "not a circus tent".
The biggest coalition crisis came last month, sparked by what should have been routine parliamentary business -- the nomination of three new judges to Germany's highest court.
Right-wing online media had strongly campaigned against one of them, SPD nominee Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, calling her a left-wing activist on abortion and other issues.
The CDU/CSU withdrew support for her and postponed the vote, sparking SPD fury. The issue looked set to fester until Brosius-Gersdorf withdrew her candidature on Thursday.
'Too many arguments'
Other trouble came when the CDU's Bavarian sister party demanded sharp cuts to social benefits for Ukrainian refugees, a position the SPD opposes.
Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil of the SPD warned the conservatives to refrain from further provocations, telling Welt TV that "we already have far too many arguments in this government".
Both coalition partners know that open squabbling will turn off voters after discord brought down Scholz's three-party coalition, and play into the hands of the AfD, their common foe.
For now Merz and most other politicians are on summer holidays, leaving unresolved issues lingering.
Merz will need to pay attention, said Wolfgang Schroeder of Kassel University.
"The chancellor's attitude is: I think big-picture and long term, I'm not interested in the small print," he said.
But Schroeder added that all the coalition's big troubles so far -- from the judge row to Ukrainians refugees -- "have been about the small print".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
15 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Before Trump talks to Putin, Germany and others want to bend his ear
NYT News Service FILE -- President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia during a joint news conference in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018. President Trump is pushing to end the war in Ukraine, but analysts say the Russian leader could turn a hastily-planned meeting to his advantage. President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska, to discuss a path to ending the war that began when Russia invaded Ukraine 3 1/2 years ago. Before he does, his European allies would like to have a word. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany will convene a Ukraine-themed video call Wednesday that is set to include Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and several of Trump's favorite European leaders, including Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni of Italy. A wide range of public statements from Merz and others suggest the leaders will implore Trump not to cut a peace deal with Putin behind the backs of Zelenskyy or his European allies. Zelenskyy has not been invited to Alaska. The European leaders will likely stress that any discussions of terms for ending the war must start with a full ceasefire. They also believe that Europe's approval is essential for any plans to enforce a truce with European troops. It will be the latest attempt by Merz and his European counterparts to head off Trump's unilateral impulses and to keep him from falling under Putin's sway -- though Merz and his allies almost never frame it that way. Instead, the center-right chancellor and fellow leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, regularly portray themselves as closely aligned with Trump on Ukraine, even as they publicly and privately encourage him to do more to support officials in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. "We cannot accept that territorial issues between Russia and America are discussed or even decided over the heads of Europeans, over the heads of Ukrainians," Merz said in a television interview Sunday. "I assume that the American government sees it the same way. That is why there is this close coordination." Merz has staked much of his early term on rebuilding Germany's military and reclaiming its leadership position for Europe and the world, with a firm gaze toward Russia. He has courted Trump aggressively since taking office in early May, with text messages, phone calls, international summits and an Oval Office visit. He has relentlessly pitched Trump on the idea that by intervening boldly and decisively on the side of Ukraine against Russia, the United States could force Putin into a ceasefire and serious talks on ending the war. It has been the chancellor's primary request of the president, overwhelming other major issues, like Trump's push to impose new tariffs on Europe. Trump seemed receptive, to varying degrees, particularly as he grew frustrated in recent months with Putin's continued bombardments of Ukraine. He agreed to sell American weapons to Germany and others, to then be supplied to Kyiv, and he has threatened harsh economic penalties on Moscow if the war continues. But then, last week, after overtures from Putin, Trump shifted again. He hastily scheduled the Alaska meeting. This week, he told reporters he wanted to see what Putin had on his mind, and whether he could broker "a deal" on the war, including swaps of land currently held by Ukraine and Russia. Merz and his allies fear what that discussion could bring. So they have stacked the video call with top Europeans who enjoy good relations with Trump, including the leaders of Poland and Finland and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. European leaders refuse to entertain any talk of redrawing borders before Putin agrees to a ceasefire. They do not want to negotiate away Ukrainian land that Russian forces do not currently hold. German officials have been more publicly oblique on whether they could support a truce that cedes some parts of prewar Ukraine to Russia, though privately, they have sounded resigned to the possibility. They also worry that peace on bad terms could encourage Putin to continue his push toward Western Europe, perhaps sending troops next to a neighbor like Lithuania, a member of NATO. "It really is a concern that Putin might feel emboldened," said Anna Sauerbrey, the foreign editor for Germany's Die Zeit newspaper. "Not to go for Berlin, of course, but to cause some unrest in other Baltic countries, other European countries." Above all, Europeans fear that Putin could use the Alaska meeting to sell Trump on a peace deal that Zelenskyy would never accept, leading Trump to turn his ire on the Ukrainian leader. Trump could then threaten to pull crucial American intelligence support for Ukraine on the battlefield, as his administration briefly did this spring. Europe would continue to back Ukraine in that case, but its task would be far more difficult. Merz and other leaders have acknowledged the need for American support. Sauerbrey said that reality puts European leaders in a "very weak position" to negotiate with Trump. "They can hope and pray" and continue to flatter him, she said. "But that's pretty much all they have." This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Before Trump talks to Putin, Germany and others want to bend his ear
President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska, to discuss a path to ending the war that began when Russia invaded Ukraine 3 1/2 years ago. Before he does, his European allies would like to have a word. Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany will convene a Ukraine-themed video call Wednesday that is set to include Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and several of Trump's favorite European leaders, including Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni of Italy. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program A wide range of public statements from Merz and others suggest the leaders will implore Trump not to cut a peace deal with Putin behind the backs of Zelenskyy or his European allies. Zelenskyy has not been invited to Alaska. The European leaders will likely stress that any discussions of terms for ending the war must start with a full ceasefire. They also believe that Europe's approval is essential for any plans to enforce a truce with European troops. It will be the latest attempt by Merz and his European counterparts to head off Trump's unilateral impulses and to keep him from falling under Putin's sway -- though Merz and his allies almost never frame it that way. Live Events Instead, the center-right chancellor and fellow leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, regularly portray themselves as closely aligned with Trump on Ukraine, even as they publicly and privately encourage him to do more to support officials in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv. "We cannot accept that territorial issues between Russia and America are discussed or even decided over the heads of Europeans, over the heads of Ukrainians," Merz said in a television interview Sunday. "I assume that the American government sees it the same way. That is why there is this close coordination." Merz has staked much of his early term on rebuilding Germany's military and reclaiming its leadership position for Europe and the world, with a firm gaze toward Russia. He has courted Trump aggressively since taking office in early May, with text messages, phone calls, international summits and an Oval Office visit. He has relentlessly pitched Trump on the idea that by intervening boldly and decisively on the side of Ukraine against Russia, the United States could force Putin into a ceasefire and serious talks on ending the war. It has been the chancellor's primary request of the president, overwhelming other major issues, like Trump's push to impose new tariffs on Europe. Trump seemed receptive, to varying degrees, particularly as he grew frustrated in recent months with Putin's continued bombardments of Ukraine. He agreed to sell American weapons to Germany and others, to then be supplied to Kyiv, and he has threatened harsh economic penalties on Moscow if the war continues. But then, last week, after overtures from Putin, Trump shifted again. He hastily scheduled the Alaska meeting. This week, he told reporters he wanted to see what Putin had on his mind, and whether he could broker "a deal" on the war, including swaps of land currently held by Ukraine and Russia. Merz and his allies fear what that discussion could bring. So they have stacked the video call with top Europeans who enjoy good relations with Trump, including the leaders of Poland and Finland and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. European leaders refuse to entertain any talk of redrawing borders before Putin agrees to a ceasefire. They do not want to negotiate away Ukrainian land that Russian forces do not currently hold. German officials have been more publicly oblique on whether they could support a truce that cedes some parts of prewar Ukraine to Russia, though privately, they have sounded resigned to the possibility. They also worry that peace on bad terms could encourage Putin to continue his push toward Western Europe, perhaps sending troops next to a neighbor like Lithuania, a member of NATO. "It really is a concern that Putin might feel emboldened," said Anna Sauerbrey, the foreign editor for Germany's Die Zeit newspaper. "Not to go for Berlin, of course, but to cause some unrest in other Baltic countries, other European countries." Above all, Europeans fear that Putin could use the Alaska meeting to sell Trump on a peace deal that Zelenskyy would never accept, leading Trump to turn his ire on the Ukrainian leader. Trump could then threaten to pull crucial American intelligence support for Ukraine on the battlefield, as his administration briefly did this spring. Europe would continue to back Ukraine in that case, but its task would be far more difficult. Merz and other leaders have acknowledged the need for American support. Sauerbrey said that reality puts European leaders in a "very weak position" to negotiate with Trump. "They can hope and pray" and continue to flatter him, she said. "But that's pretty much all they have." This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Hindustan Times
31 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Mercedes-Benz sees its ultra-luxury cars driving growth amid market volatility
The luxury car market in India has been growing at a gradual pace. At a time when the mass-market segment of the Indian passenger vehicle market has been witnessing sluggish growth owing to various factors such as increased pricing, higher cost of maintenance, rising inflation, economic uncertainty due to geopolitical tensions, tariff blow, etc., the luxury car market has been witnessing continuous growth. What Mercedes-Benz India has revealed is even more interesting. The German luxury car marque has claimed that the company is recording its top-end ultra-luxury car portfolio, continuing to drive growth for the brand in a volatile market condition. The automaker has revealed this while launching its latest product, Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupe in India at ₹1.35 crore (ex-showroom). In an interaction with PTI, Mercedes-Benz India MD and CEO Santosh Iyer said that with this growth momentum for the luxury cars in India, the segment is pegged to grow at around four to five per cent on a year-on-year basis. However, he also revealed that despite this growth projection, the demand is flattish as compared to last year for the industry. "Considering all the geopolitical developments happening around us, the growth may not be there as much as what we have seen in the previous years, but it is still there," Iyer stated. Top-end models driving growth for Mercedes-Benz For Mercedes-Benz, the top-end cars and core segments continue to grow while the entry-level vertical has de-grown, Iyer noted. He said that with eight launches in 2025, the OEM's top-end luxury vehicle strategy has been very successful, garnering immense customer response and elevating the desirability of Mercedes-Benz in the market. "So yes, we are not seeing that double-digit kind of growth momentum that we saw in the previous year, but still, flattish to single-digit growth is there," he added. The Mercedes-Benz India official also noted that while there are some headwinds, the industry is also witnessing some tailwinds, which augur well for the growth in the coming quarters. Iyer cited GDP growth projections and record GST collections this year as some of the positive factors. "Obviously, macros are strong, and they should not affect the fundamental position. But yeah, it's a volatile market, for sure," he added. Mercedes-Benz eyes festive season to boost sales The festive season is considered one of the most prosperous times of the year when the auto industry in India across all segments witnesses significant growth. This year, after recording muted sales in the first half of the year, the auto industry is expecting to see a turnaround in the sales performance during the upcoming festive season, which is about to start in a few weeks. Mercedes-Benz is no different. The luxury car company is expecting a better sales momentum with the onset of the festive season. Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2025, Best SUVs in India. First Published Date:
