The annual summer press conference with the German Chancellor is one of the last public events before the holidays.
Friedrich Merz is also due to go on holiday soon and the federal press conference room in the German capital Berlin was packed with journalists eager to hear what he would say.
They were greeted by a Chancellor who seemed quite satisfied with himself – and despite poor polling numbers, only between 13% and 20% of people in Germany were satisfied with how he and his coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats were doing their job.
“The coalition has gained its base,” Merz said. “The results have been positive,” he added. “The federal government has found its groove despite some criticism. We’ve got the job done.” He was referring to reforms related to pensions, health care and taxes – adopted but not yet approved by Parliament, which he elaborated on.
He particularly mentioned reforms to the pension system, which for the first time will allocate a smaller portion of retirement funds to investments. Merz said, “We should have done this 30 years ago, just as the Swedes, Danes, Dutch and many others around the world did it long ago. But at least we are starting now.”
Journalists mainly asked about the AfD
Despite all these reforms, journalists’ questions turned to Alternative for Germany (AfD), a party that Germany’s domestic intelligence agency describes in part as far-right extremist. The AfD is currently leading ahead of state elections in two East German states this September.
How does Merz hope to prevent far-right extremists from seizing power in Germany?
The chancellor began to dodge the question, but when pressed, he surprisingly told voters directly in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: “Take a closer look; don’t let information from social media – no matter where it’s coming from – become your only source. Instead, look at what the federal government is trying to achieve,” Merz said.
In response to a question from a Netherlands journalist, the German Chancellor argued that it would indeed be “something else entirely” if right-wing extremists were once again able to seize power in Germany, of all places, given its Nazi past.
Despite the surveys, he did not appear worried about the elections in September. “The election campaigns are just beginning. I am confident that we will succeed in preventing the AfD from gaining a majority of seats in the three state legislatures – especially in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania,” he said.
Elections are to be held in September not only in those two East German states, but also in Berlin, which is a federal state in its own right.
Criticism of American policy
A question from DW addressed a report by the U.S. State Department about plans to launch a $5 million (€4.3 million) grant program designed to support MAGA-aligned groups in Europe, which could include those affiliated with the AfD. Merz said in response, “I have always said that we, for our part, do not interfere in American elections.” “We have always adhered to that principle. And conversely, I do not want American entities to interfere in German elections. And perhaps an additional point: It is illegal in Germany to finance political parties from abroad.”
Despite the problems, Merz tried his best to project confidence, even though issues like crumbling infrastructure, increasing polarization of society and – last but not least – a sluggish economy are major causes of concern for many. On this last point, the Chancellor acknowledged that it still needed significant attention. Economically, the country is not what he wanted, he said: “We have achieved a lot, but it is still far from enough.” He pointed out that the main issue is how to restore the competitiveness of the German economy. Only at this point did Merz reference the unlikely US President, Donald Trump, without actually saying him by name. The US government has “damaged” the German economy through its tariff policy, Merz said.
Merz defends Ukraine’s EU accession proposal
In response to another question from DW, the German Chancellor initially reiterated his controversial proposal to grant Ukraine only associate membership of the EU (without voting rights). Merz said it is important to be honest with the crisis-hit country and explain that the path to Europe is more difficult than initially thought, but he, Merz, is now in favor of taking small but steady steps.
“At the moment, we are essentially considering the five Western Balkan states, Moldova and Ukraine as potential new members of the EU. They are waiting for the EU to take the next step,” Merz said, acknowledging that it has been 13 years since the bloc accepted any new members, even though several promises were made. Small but serious steps are now needed to ensure that the EU maintains its credibility, the Chancellor said. “If we lose this credibility, we lose these countries.”
some temporary soul searching
At one point, Merz offered a moment of self-criticism: during the election campaign about a year and a half ago, he had promised to freeze taking on new loans. Shortly thereafter a massive loan package was launched to finance the rearmament of the Bundeswehr, climate protection and infrastructure. It has now also become a “significant burden on my personal credibility”, he said.
However, it was one of the few moments in which the German Chancellor showed any hesitation about his policies. He stressed that the coalition of conservatives and social democrats will continue to govern peacefully and firmly.
This article was translated from German.