With Friedrich Merz — leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union /Christian Social Union alliance (CDU/CSU) — becoming the Chancellor, Germany is entering a new chapter. The new government is demonstrating strong resolve to reaffirm Berlin’s leadership role in the region and on the global stage.
Until the second round of voting in the Federal Parliament, with 325 votes in favour, Mr. Friedrich Merz passed the threshold of 316 votes needed to become head of government, thereby helping Germany avoid the risk of political deadlock.
Having successfully passed this critical test and officially taken on the responsibility of steering Germany forward, the newly elected chancellor now faces significant challenges, particularly in restoring trust within the coalition and leading Europe’s largest economy out of its current stagnation. His first speech to the Bundestag on May 14 highlighted his strong determination to take swift action to return the country to a path of growth.
To restart Germany’s economic growth engine, a comprehensive recovery package has been unveiled, aimed at pulling the country out of crisis as it faces the risk of a third consecutive year of recession. In an effort to remove barriers to growth, the new chancellor has quickly introduced key measures such as cutting corporate taxes, investing in infrastructure upgrades, boosting start-ups, considering the repeal of the controversial supply chain due diligence law, and streamlining regulations across all sectors.
Among the most notable policies is the tightening of border controls. Hours after taking office, Germany’s new Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt — known for his tough stance on immigration — ordered stricter border checks, rejected asylum applications at border crossings, and enhanced cooperation with neighbouring European countries to tackle the wave of illegal immigration. Within just one week of implementation, the number of denied asylum applications rose by nearly 50%.
Despite criticism from coalition partner SPD that such measures carry risks — potentially prompting neighbouring European countries to abandon the bloc’s common asylum reform process and resort solely to national solutions — and opposition from the European Parliament, the CDU/CSU alliance has expressed satisfaction with the results, emphasising that Germany is no longer a “magnet” for migrants in Europe.
On the foreign policy front, Chancellor Friedrich Merz continues efforts to reassert Germany’s leadership on the international stage, from resetting ties with France — which has been strained in recent years — through talks with President Emmanuel Macron, to a symbolic visit to Poland that lays the groundwork for a new phase in bilateral relations.
Regarding transatlantic ties, the German Chancellor underlined the importance of close coordination with Washington and reaffirmed Berlin’s commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), especially as the return of US President Donald Trump to the White House brings many disturbances to transatlantic relations.
Two major external shocks — one from the conflict in Ukraine and the other from shifting US stances on trade and defence cooperation with the European Union — have forced Berlin to reassess the country’s entire strategic posture. The actions taken by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government thus far have been interpreted as a strong statement that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own defence, and that Germany, with its economic scale and capabilities, cannot retreat from a leadership role. This resolve was echoed in Chancellor Merz’s earlier appeal for Germany to transition from a “sleeping” middle power into a leading one.
NDO
