Germany’s new leader has heralded a new era in Europe as Angela Merkel’s party has suffered a historic defeat.
Friedrich Merz issued a warning to the continent that the US was “largely indifferent” to their fate, saying Europe must become independent.
He criticised US officials for election interference after Elon Musk and the Trump administration showed support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion on Sunday night, he stressed that his “absolute priority” was to “strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that we can achieve real independence from the US step by step”.
His comments come as a surprise since Merz has been a close US ally in the past, however, Trump’s administration has caused a seismic shift.
European powers have been shocked by the Trump administration, which has suggested it could take away security guarantees to Europe which have been in place since the end of World War Two.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Washington later this week to meet with President Trump. However, Merz has said Germany deserves a place at the meeting.
Germany is one of Europe’s three big powers, alongside France and the US but the country has been absent from the world stage for a while.
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The AfD and Germany's Left party jointly secured one-third of the seats in the new parliament needed to block changes to the constitution, including a loosening of the country's debt brake.
The constitutionally enshrined debt brake restricts budget deficits to 0.35 per cent of gross domestic product, though that excludes top-ups of the special fund for defence or the creation of a new special fund.
However, both the AfD and the Left oppose military aid to Ukraine and with their new-found strength in the Bundestag lower house they could veto increased contributions to the defence fund, creating tensions with Germany's Nato allies, including the Trump administration which wants Europe to spend much more.
Germany is the second biggest donor of military support to Ukraine, after the US, and while Merz wants to continue the aid, he has been more guarded about the idea of sending troops to Ukraine.
Germans have been increasingly concerned about foreign policy ahead of this election, especially worried about peace in Europe.
Citizens feel at risk from Russia, due to the amount of aid they have sent to Ukraine, and also worry that Russia may seek to destabilise Europe by striking one of the Big Three with a long-range missile.
In November of last year, Germany’s interior ministry said it was putting together a list of bunkers to provide emergency shelter for civilians.
The AfD campaigned for a different approach - seeking to disengage from Kyiv and re-establish relations with Russia.
Germany’s economy is depressed, and Merz will need lots of money for his plan to strengthen Europe.
He will also need to reach an agreement with his incoming coalition partners as well as other European countries who may not want to strike a harsh tone against the US.
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Friedrich Merz issued a warning to the continent that the US was “largely indifferent” to their fate, saying Europe must become independent.
He criticised US officials for election interference after Elon Musk and the Trump administration showed support for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion on Sunday night, he stressed that his “absolute priority” was to “strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that we can achieve real independence from the US step by step”.
His comments come as a surprise since Merz has been a close US ally in the past, however, Trump’s administration has caused a seismic shift.
European powers have been shocked by the Trump administration, which has suggested it could take away security guarantees to Europe which have been in place since the end of World War Two.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Washington later this week to meet with President Trump. However, Merz has said Germany deserves a place at the meeting.
Germany is one of Europe’s three big powers, alongside France and the US but the country has been absent from the world stage for a while.
MORE LIKE THIS:
- German election: Olaf Scholz breaks silence as his party slums to historic low - 'A bitter result'
- New German leader heralds new era in Europe as Merkel's party suffers historic defeat
- AfD handed major poll boost after DOUBLING support but faces 'firewall' as ALL other parties unite to block path to power
The AfD and Germany's Left party jointly secured one-third of the seats in the new parliament needed to block changes to the constitution, including a loosening of the country's debt brake.
The constitutionally enshrined debt brake restricts budget deficits to 0.35 per cent of gross domestic product, though that excludes top-ups of the special fund for defence or the creation of a new special fund.
However, both the AfD and the Left oppose military aid to Ukraine and with their new-found strength in the Bundestag lower house they could veto increased contributions to the defence fund, creating tensions with Germany's Nato allies, including the Trump administration which wants Europe to spend much more.
Germany is the second biggest donor of military support to Ukraine, after the US, and while Merz wants to continue the aid, he has been more guarded about the idea of sending troops to Ukraine.
Germans have been increasingly concerned about foreign policy ahead of this election, especially worried about peace in Europe.
Citizens feel at risk from Russia, due to the amount of aid they have sent to Ukraine, and also worry that Russia may seek to destabilise Europe by striking one of the Big Three with a long-range missile.
In November of last year, Germany’s interior ministry said it was putting together a list of bunkers to provide emergency shelter for civilians.
The AfD campaigned for a different approach - seeking to disengage from Kyiv and re-establish relations with Russia.
Germany’s economy is depressed, and Merz will need lots of money for his plan to strengthen Europe.
He will also need to reach an agreement with his incoming coalition partners as well as other European countries who may not want to strike a harsh tone against the US.
Find Out More...