Latest news with #ChristianDemocraticUnion
The Hill
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump to meet with Germany's Merz in Washington next week
President Trump is set to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz next week in Washington, marking the first in-person meeting between the two leaders. Merz, the leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), who was elected as Germany's leader in early March, is expected to visit Trump at the White House on Thursday, June 5, Germany government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said Saturday in a press release. The discussions between the two countries' leaders will focus on bilateral relations between the two, along with discussions around the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, developments in the Middle East and trade policy, according to Kornelius. A White House official confirmed the meeting details to The Hill on Saturday. Merz, similar to Trump, has been pushing for a ceasefire deal in the more than three-year-long war between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a meeting with Merz on Wednesday in Berlin. There, Merz said that Germany will bolster its backing of Ukraine as part of a more than $5.5 billion agreement, including sending over more military equipment and increasing weapons manufacturing in Kyiv. Germany's chancellor has clashed with members of Trump's administration over the country's government marking the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party as an 'extremist' political entity. 'Germany just gave its spy agency new powers to surveil the opposition. That's not democracy—it's tyranny in disguise,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote earlier this month on social media platform X. 'What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD—which took second in the recent election — but rather the establishment's deadly open border immigration policies that the AfD opposes.' Vice President Vance piled on, accusing the government of trying to 'destroy' AfD, which also considers tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk a strong supporter. Merz has pushed back on Trump administration's officials meddling in Germany's domestic politics. 'We have largely stayed out of the American election campaign in recent years, and that includes me personally,' Merz said in an interview with Axel Springer Global Reporters Network that was published on May 7. He added that he told U.S. officials that 'we have not taken sides with either candidate. And I ask you to accept that in return.'
IOL News
12 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Merz's missile plans could escalate tensions with Russia
Friedrich Merz of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) addresses a news conference in Berlin. File picture: Annegret Hilse/Reuters Image: Annegret Hilse/Reuters German-based anti-war civil society organisation, the Schiller Institute, has made an impassioned plea to the country's new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, to refrain from dragging Germany into a direct war with Russia. Renowned peace campaigner and founder of the Schiller Institute, Helga Zepp-LaRouche, made a call for sanity to prevail after Chancellor Merz announced that Germany would be financing Ukraine to the tune of more than $5 billion to produce long-range Taurus and other missiles capable of striking deep into Russian territory. The Taurus missiles destined for Kyiv would be produced in the German town of Schrobenhausen in the district of Schrobenhausen in Bavaria under the complete supervision of Merz's administration. He added that Germany could go to the extent of producing the long-range Taurus missiles by itself and dispatch them to Ukraine for their use. The announcement, first made by Merz during the recent visit by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, has drawn sharp criticism inside Germany as well as Russia itself. Veteran Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, responding to Merz's announcement, was utterly blunt, saying: 'Germany is sliding down the same inclined plane on which it has already moved down to its collapse a couple of times in the last century. I hope that responsible politicians in that country will draw the right conclusion and stop the madness.' The move by Merz comes in the wake of a concerted effort by US President Donald Trump to broker a truce between Moscow and Kyiv. Only last week, both nations exchanged prisoners-of-war, 1 000 from either side, in a gesture viewed as the right move towards more productive direct talks between the two countries. The US-led efforts toward a peace deal have been met with heightened war-mongering, especially from the UK and France, the protagonists behind the much-mooted Coalition of the Willing military mobilisation aimed at deploying on Ukrainian soil to deter Russia's possible future offensive against Kyiv. Germany, under the new leadership of Merz, appears to be in sync with the UK and France in beating the drums of war against Russia. Swift responses from Moscow have been aimed towards crystal clear warnings towards Germany, the country that caused WWII from 1939-1945, while led by the notorious Adolf Hitler, until the Soviet army defeated Hitler to end the war. This week, a leading Russian military analyst also responded to Merz's plans to manufacture the Taurus long-range missiles for Ukraine by warning that the German manufacturing site, once identified, would be flattened 'with two Oreshnik missiles carrying 12 hypersonic blocks of non-nuclear warheads, so that Germany will no longer be able to build such cruise missiles in the next five to seven years. This will first be a non-nuclear strike.' Schiller Institute's founder Zepp-LaRouche added by saying: 'I'm sure that the citizens of Schrobenhausen will not be very happy to hear that because if they are hit by Oreshnik missiles — which cannot be stopped — that would forebode great horror not only for Schronbenhausen, but subsequently probably for all of Germany and Europe.' She further made an impassioned plea for international mobilisation to stop Chancellor Merz's administration from producing or sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine. This, added the head of the Schiller Institute, will help to ensure that Germany does not 'slide down the same inclined plane' which had led to WWII 80 years ago. The greatest danger about the German-led escalation of the war 'could, this time, bring us all to the brink of a nuclear WWIII', Zepp-LaRouche said. Appeals by highly respected peace campaigners like Zepp-LaRouche deserve to be taken seriously and acted upon without delay. Their voices are voices of reason. They have lived long enough to recall Hitler causing a World War, during which tens, if not hundreds, of millions of people were killed. It is truly disturbing that at a sensitive time during which President Trump is attempting to stop a war that would never have started had he been in office, as he keeps saying, a few in Europe show a determination to keep the war going. They should never be allowed to succeed to a trigger an apocalypse for the rest of the human race, and humanity itself. Sectarian geopolitical interests with scant regard for the right to life have brought us to the current brink. Yet not all is lost. Washington needs to continue to pressure Kiev to ignore war-mongering calls, and focus on efforts geared toward the attainment of a permanent peace and the reconstruction of Ukraine that would not be used by NATO as a door-step that poses an existential threat to Russia. Had such concerns been addressed when Russia first raised them with NATO and the West, the Kremlin believes that there would never have been any reason to go on the offensive in Ukraine. On June 2, the next round of direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow will likely take place in the Turkish capital, Ankara. Until the world learns to give peace a chance, ruin will become our collective certainty. Voices such as that of the Schiller Institute are thus vital in international public discourse. The biggest hope one may have is that Trump and his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, could find a common middle ground on which they could bring in Ukraine, and the three could then reach an amicable resolution to a conflict the erstwhile Biden administration was too happy to shore up unconditionally. The ascension to the international stage of players such as Chancellor Merz should concern all the peace-loving German people and the international community at large. After the loss of so many lives, and destruction of infrastructure that continues unabated, the majority of the peace-loving leaders should rally behind all forms of endeavour to achieve peace and bring an end to the Ukraine war.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Retirement in Europe: How long will we have to work?
Representative image (AI) On May 22, the Danish parliament passed legislation raising the retirement age. The law, approved by 81 lawmakers with 21 voting against, sets the retirement age at 70 for all citizens born after December 31, 1970. Currently, the retirement age in Denmark is 67. By 2030, it will rise to 68, and by 2035 to 69. Last year, 47-year-old Social Democratic Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that she would be open to reviewing the system once the official retirement age reached 70. International comparisons show just how differently retirement ages are regulated. In some countries, people continue to work even longer than they are legally required to. Will Germany follow Denmark's lead? Germany's new government is still trying to figure out how to deal with the country's struggling statutory pensions system. At a party convention of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Stuttgart recently, Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, praised himself and his Social Democratic coalition partner for having "written many good things into the coalition agreement" — the key issue of how to shore up the finances of the chronically underfunded pension system, however, isn't among them. Merz warned that "the way things are today can only last for a few more years at most." For Bernd Raffelhüschen, a former government economic advisor, the Danish reform effort is worth emulating. "We should raise the retirement age to 70 quickly so we can still catch at least part of the baby boomer generation," the economist told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper recently, referring to the large cohort of people born at the end of the 1950s and early 60s, who are currently retiring in huge numbers. Raffelhüschen said that because 1 million Germans will be leaving the workforce every year until 2035, this would push pension contributions higher for younger generations. Beveridge vs. Bismarck Pension financing in Europe follows two main models named after their founders: the Bismarck model, based on social legislation introduced by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in the 19th century, and the Beveridge model, developed in the 1940s. The Beveridge system is a welfare model that provides universal coverage and is tax-funded. It was devised by British economist William Henry Beveridge, a member of the UK Liberals' parliamentary faction. The Bismarck model, on the other hand, is an insurance-based system in which both workers and employers pay into a fund. In simplified terms, it's a so-called pay-as-you-go system where the working population finances the pensions of retirees through their contributions. This is why comparing pension systems across Europe is difficult — even more so as many countries use hybrid models combining aspects of both. The specifics, often complex, also vary widely between nations. Demographics, and the benefits of working longer — or shorter Germany's Bismarck-based system is increasingly under strain due to demographic changes. As the population ages and the workforce shrinks, there are more retirees and fewer people to fund the social insurance schemes. At the same time, people are living longer due to rising life expectancy, which means they draw pensions for more years. This puts mounting pressure on pay-as-you-go pension funds, with the result that either contributions must keep rising, or pension benefits may stagnate, failing to keep up with inflation. Alternatively, the overall pension level may have to drop Of course, a shorter working life and earlier retirement are appealing for most people as they can leave work before their physical capabilities decline and use the final third of their lives for meaningful activities or more time with family. There are also economic benefits, as more leisure time creates more opportunities to spend money, thus stimulating consumer demand and the broader economy. But working longer can also have advantages. Many people feel fit and engaged well into their 60s so that they may enjoy continuing to work, pass on their knowledge, and value interaction with younger colleagues. Employers benefit from retaining experienced staff and established routines, which may also help to mitigate the skilled labor shortage in Germany. Retiring a personal decision Looking at international statistics reveals that legal retirement age rarely aligns with when people actually stop working. In most cases, people retire earlier because their bodies can't keep up, or in creative professions, because of burnout. In a few countries like New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, or Greece, people often work beyond the official retirement age. Whether they do so voluntarily is unclear. The reasons are often too personal to be captured by statistics.\ The so-called gross replacement rate — the ratio of pension benefits to the final salary — plays a major role in people's decisions. If that gap is too wide, some workers can't afford to retire. The threat of old-age poverty could be reduced if pensions were high enough to provide financial security after a long career. But that would require money that the pension system currently lacks. On the other hand, raising contribution levels too much would limit workers' ability to save privately for retirement.
Russia Today
a day ago
- Business
- Russia Today
Importing crime: Angela Merkel started the EU's migrant crisis, and she wants it to continue
The former chancellor is back in the news, lecturing her fellow citizens to allow more asylum seekers into their country even as Germany is plagued by rampant crime and dismal economic factors. If it is true that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results, then we can say with some degree of certainty that Angela Merkel is suffering severely on the mental front. The four-term leader of the Christian Democratic Union (2005-2021) has gone down in the history books as the person most responsible for the greatest upheaval of German society in modern times, and she shows no sign of letting up. Without ever asking the German electorate what they wanted, Merkel in 2015 opened her country's borders to over one million illegal immigrants, while holding out cash incentives and other handsome benefits for those who made the difficult journey. Merkel was of the opinion that Germany had the economic strength to handle the influx of migrants and reiterated that there was no legal maximum limit on the number of migrants the country could take. Unfortunately, she was seriously mistaken. And her views on the matter – despite serious cultural, societal and political repercussions – have not changed. During this week's presentation of her memoir, 'Freedom,' Merkel, 70, spoke out on migration, warning that without it 'we could see Europe destroyed.' 'I do not believe we can decisively combat illegal migration at the German-Austrian or German-Polish border… I have always advocated European solutions,' Merkel said when asked about the latest measures adopted by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who faces an uphill battle in the Bundestag, the federal parliament, to incorporate more anti-immigration policies. As for Merkel the diehard globalist, who once lamented the failure of multiculturalism, she fails to understand that the German people are desperately holding out hope for a real change of political course. The fact is Germany is no longer a safe place to do simple everyday things, like take a casual stroll down the street or to raise a family, without an unhealthy degree of fear and apprehension. That is because an entirely new phenomenon of knife attacks is now plaguing the streets of every German city as the migration crisis has spiraled into a crime crisis. Statistics show that such heinous criminal acts, overwhelmingly committed by individuals of foreign origin, are getting worse, with a shocking 79 knife attacks per day on average now recorded, according to some German media. Last year, there were 29,014 cases involving a crime where a knife was used, of which, 15,741 were knife attacks. Physical harm involving a knife surged by 10.8 percent in 2024 compared to 2023. Here is just a glimpse of the recent violence that has plagued Germany. In January, a two-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man were killed in a stabbing in a park in Aschaffenburg, with several others wounded. One month later, a Spanish tourist was stabbed at Berlin's Holocaust Memorial. This month, a 35-year-old Syrian asylum seeker stabbed five youths in an unprovoked knife attack outside a popular student bar in Bielefeld, Germany. Not all of the migrant violence was the result of a knife attack. Last December, six people were killed and hundreds were injured after a car plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg. Such indiscriminate attacks must be taking a heavy toll on the German psyche. Meanwhile, other statistics reveal the state of mind of the average German voter and the real consequences of Merkel's reckless policies. Die Welt has reported, citing a new survey by YouGov, that 31% of those surveyed said they would 'definitely' move abroad if they were entirely free to choose. Another 27% of respondents said they would 'probably' leave. Within this group, 61% identified the country's immigrant situation as a major factor influencing their decision, while 41% cited Germany's ongoing economic recession. Speaking of the economy, Merkel's continual promotion of open borders is coming at a time when Germany has been enduring its longest phase of economic stagnation in post-war history. The country's struggling economy shrank for a second year in a row in 2024, as gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 0.2% compared to the previous year. Germany's central bank, the Bundesbank, has lowered its forecast for the economy and only expects very modest growth of 0.2% for 2025. In other words, it may be simply asking too much of the German people to continue supporting asylum seekers at a time when so many are feeling the sting of economic uncertainty. For many Germans, their only hope is for a major change in the political landscape. Thus, many citizens have thrown their support behind the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), the biggest opposition party, which came in second in the February general election with just over 20% of the vote. That was the best national result for a hard-right party in Germany since the Second World War, and despite being designated as an 'extremist' organization by Germany's domestic intelligence service. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, described the ruling as 'tyranny in disguise'. Posting on social media, Rubio said: 'What is truly extremist is not the popular AfD – which took second in the recent election – but rather the establishment's deadly open border immigration policies.' Angela Merkel would do well to heed the opinion of the average German voter, who seems to be running out of patience, and support a pause in the influx of asylum seekers at this dangerous juncture.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Ukrainian President Zelensky visits Germany to talk defense against Russia
May 28 (UPI) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Germany Wednesday to discuss the state of German military support, which could include a delivery of powerful missiles to Ukraine for use against Russian targets. Zelensky and the Ukrainian delegation were welcomed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz shortly after their arrival in Berlin, and Zelensky is also expected to meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The visit takes place as speculation continues in regard to whether Germany will supply Ukraine with its Taurus cruise missiles, which can strike targets as far away as 300 miles. Merz had signaled before his ascension to chancellor that he would overturn a previous ban by his predecessor Olaf Scholz on the provision of such weaponry to Ukraine. Zelensky spoke with reporters Tuesday, and said he would discuss the issue of long-range missiles. The decision to provide the Taurus missiles remains officially unresolved as it has been a matter of contention between the conservative alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union parties, and the Social Democratic Party, their coalition partners. However, Merz announced Monday that Germany would "do everything in our power to continue supporting Ukraine," and that "also means no longer having any range restrictions on the weapons we supply. Ukraine can now also defend itself by attacking military positions in Russia." Merz later explained the comment was in reference to actions taken months ago, and German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has since confirmed that no new decision in regard to the Taurus missile issue. Germany has previously provided Ukraine with two weapons systems capable of strikes within Russian borders, the Mars II rocket launchers and Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery, and range restrictions on their usage were lifted in May 2024. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskovannounced Monday that European countries who lift restrictions on the range of provided armaments for use against Russia on Russian territory would be making a "rather dangerous decision." Zelensky posted to social media Tuesday that in an "extended meeting" with Ukrainian military leadership, they had discussed "preparing new agreements with our European partners in the near future, to attract investment into Ukrainian production," which "First and foremost," means "the production of unmanned systems and long-range capabilities," so that the military can "operate at significant distances." Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
