Unraveling the First Week: A Glimpse into Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Turbulent Start
- by Nico Raw
- 2 Min
Initial Period of Friedrich Merz: Opportunities for Enhancement Remain - Newcomer Friedrich Merz's initial tenure unveiled
Got the jitters yet? The "Tagesschau" now talks about "Chancellor Merz" jetting off somewhere, ain't ya? It can't be easy, can it? News presenters still seem to stumble a bit between the title and the name. Even the Federal Press Office made a boo-boo, sending out a statement about Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Prime Minister Donald Tusk's press conference after the inaugural visit to Warsaw. Oops!
Well, guess who's in charge now? Friedrich Merz. What's new in the first week? You no longer have to trail German faces in pictures with world leaders; it's now the lanky figure leading the small talk with a superior air. On the flip side, the 6'6" Chancellor could've used a booster seat at the coffee table in Kyiv. Alright, so maybe he still had a few inches to go - around the same amount as the initial coalition votes in the chancellor election.
Merz's Tumultuous Beginnings: If Something Begins Badly, It Can Only Improve... Right?
If something starts poorly, they say, it can only get better. Merz's chancellorship kicked off on May 6 in the worst-case scenario - nowhere at all. The chaotic hours leading up to the second round of voting were a real headache for the CDU member, but it didn't quite rise to the level of a state crisis as some critics claimed. Merz started off a tad weakened, to be sure, having entered history without even being chancellor. Like the Bible says, "There's a time for everything," but maybe even God needed a moment to think before a chancellorship by Merz.
So, has it improved since then? Merz vowed to take a firm stance on illegal immigration, planning to instruct his interior minister to enforce a de facto entry ban from day one. Alexander Dobrindt probably didn't even need the reminder, as he's been dying to toughen refugee policy for ten years straight and quickly dispatched more federal police to the borders for stricter controls upon taking office.
The undertaking is monstrous, the legal landscape is controversial, communication could use some work - and a few neighbors might take offense. But the CSU is thrilled, finally putting an end to Merkel's friendly refugee policy, replaced with Markus Söder's tougher face. And Friedrich Merz would love to give a personal shout-out to each rejected asylum seeker, because Merz's tougher immigration policy is one of the few election promises he can still live up to.
The visit with three other leaders to Kyiv was a pleasant surprise for Merz. It sent a powerful message to Europe's commitment to continue helping Ukraine. Whether the trip transcends symbolic significance and whether the threat of new sanctions truly scares Putin remains to be seen. The deadline for Wladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire expired on Monday at midnight. By Thursday, they were still hammering out new sanctions.
Merz's first government declaration was a lackluster moment for parliament. In terms of rhetoric, it was as unexciting as Scholz, and in content, as tedious as Merkel - the once fiery opposition speaker Merz is still searching for his style as chancellor. Identifying problems is not the same as solving them.
After over a week, Merz's chancellorship remains a bold claim: Many things are changing, some for the better. However, Merz's "I'm going all-in" rhetoric ensures that he'll be held accountable for his words from day one. And it can be said: It's not going as well as it started poorly.
- Friedrich Merz
- Olaf Scholz
- Kyiv
- Berlin
- Tagesschau
- Federal Press Office
- Warsaw
- Prime Minister
- Donald Tusk
- Bundestag
Interesting Tidbits:
- Merz emphasized unifying Europe and the United States in their strategy regarding Ukraine, highlighting Germany's commitment to supporting Ukraine alongside other allies.
- Merz visited NATO headquarters shortly after taking office, stressing Germany's vital role in the Alliance and its increased defense spending to boost NATO's capabilities.
- Merz is committed to reforming Germany's economy through reduced bureaucracy, enhanced digital transformation, tax incentives for businesses, and fostering additional trade agreements within the EU. However, recovering Germany's economy from years of stagnation and strengthening Germany's military to establish the most formidable conventional army in Europe pose significant challenges for Merz.
- Navigating his government coalition, which includes his centre-right Union bloc along with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), managing potential internal conflicts is another obstacle for Merz.
- The Commission is also proposing to extend the scope of the programme to include migration policies in war-and-conflicts zones and general news, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed a firm stance on illegal migration and is planning to enforce a de facto entry ban from day one.
- In the realm of politics, Chancellor Merz has emphasized unifying Europe and the United States in their strategy regarding Ukraine, reflecting Germany's commitment to supporting Ukraine alongside other allies, much like a recent visit to Kyiv that sent a powerful message to Europe's continued pledge of help.
- Amidst Merz's tumultuous beginnings, policy-and-legislation has been a point of contention, as his first government declaration in the Bundestag was met with a lackluster response, mirroring the unexciting rhetoric and tedious content of his predecessor, Angela Merkel.
