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The victory of Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democrats (CDU) at Sunday’s parliamentary elections gives Germany a new opportunity to repair the decaying foundations of his post -war success. Once a rock of stability in the center of Europe, it now looks sharply vulnerable to a multiple front. He can no longer rely on open markets abroad to maintain his economy run by export; He can no longer rely on an American security umbrella to keep it and its European partners from Russian aggression; And more and more Germans lose their faith in the ability of the mainstream parties to deliver. As a support for political Central soil decreasesIt grows for radical movements, above all the extremely right alternative to Germany (AFD), whose dedication to the liberal democracy is questionable.
After years of government dysfunction under the Social Democrats (SPD), liberal free democrats and greenery, the country has swinging to the right. AFD won a historic second place with 21 percent of the vote, doubled his score in 2021. It is worrying that his attraction is stronger among young people than the elderly. As the largest opposition party, it can take advantage of the advantages if Merz-Mod the government collapses.
The CDU -As leader right has excluded work with AFD. Most Germans, fully aware of the burden of their history, is still decisive against sharing power with a party that has extremist elements, discriminatory policy and affection for Russian Vladimir Putin. Merz has no possibility but to form a coalition with SPD. The two parties are far apart on tax, well -being and immigration. But compromises on all these are possible, even irregular migration, where Merz has public support for greater limitations. The speed is vital. Two sides would find a well agreement Wide strategic goals Instead of spending months on a detailed plan.
MerzThe first moves are encouraging. On Sunday, he said that his “absolute priority” would be “strengthening Europe as quickly as possible, so, step by step, we actually achieve Independence from now -a“The choice of chancellor-dizajna words could prevent some European partners still holding on to disparage US safety blankets. But it is convincing to hear such a lucidity for switching geopolitical reality from the future German The leader and the increasingly credible who come from the assurance of the Atlantic so far like Merz. Independence from an unreliable or even antagonistic US, as unimaginable a few months ago, is a mission that could unite a black and red coalition, assuming Berlin can find resources.
Although the election result gives Merz the possibility of forming a more stable two -sided coalition, it eliminates the ability to reform the “brake” constitutional debt that drastically reduced the necessary public investment. The reinforced far left and far right will have a minority blocking in the next Bundestag to prevent changes in the Constitution. To do this, Merz was floating on the idea on Monday Re -examination of the current parliament Where the main parties have the two -thirds of the majority to have a loosening debt limit, despite its ambiguity regarding the issue during the campaign. It is a kind of brave approach Germany if he wants to escape from his weakness.
Berlin will have to unlock tens of billions of euros a year to sustain the defense costs, diverted, modernize its infrastructure, lower energy costs and invest in innovation. If Germany cannot increase its productivity and rebalancing its growth model to domestic consumption, European economic prospects and life standards will still fade. And without German rocks, Europe has a little chance of replacing US military assets quickly enough to avoid dangerously exposed to the remote Russia. The continent really needs Merz to succeed.