by Admin
Feb 26, 2025
Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to push for European defense “independence” from the United States following his center-right alliance’s victory in parliamentary elections.
His remarks come amid growing concerns over the U.S. President Donald Trump’s commitment to Europe’s security.
Speaking on Sunday, Merz emphasized that strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities would be his “absolute priority,” asserting that the continent must no longer depend on Washington for its security.
“I never thought I would have to say something like that on a TV program, but after Donald Trump’s latest comments last week, it is clear that the Americans at least this government care very little about the fate of Europe,” Merz said during a televised discussion with political leaders.
Merz expressed uncertainty over NATO’s long-term stability, warning that the alliance may not exist in its “current form” by the time of its next summit in June.
He suggested that Europe must accelerate efforts to develop an independent defense strategy.
“That is my absolute priority,” he stated. “I have no illusions at all about what will come out of America.”
Merz also aimed billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of President Trump and head of the newly created U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, for his involvement in Germany’s election campaign.
The tech billionaire Musk had publicly supported the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which secured its strongest-ever result in a national election.
“The interventions from Washington were no less dramatic and impertinent than the interventions we have seen from Moscow,” Merz said. “We are under massive pressure from two sides.”
Preliminary results from Sunday’s election showed Merz’s Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) alliance winning 208 seats with 28.6% of the vote. The far-right AfD surged to second place with 152 seats and 20.8%, doubling its previous performance.
Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which led an unpopular three-party coalition, suffered a historic defeat, securing just 120 seats its worst result since World War II.
Merz now faces the complex task of coalition negotiations, having ruled out partnering with the AfD. His most likely option is a deal with the SPD, despite their long-standing rivalry.
His victory signals a shift in German politics, with growing divisions over the country’s transatlantic ties and its role in European security.