Friedrich Merz’s election victory has sent shockwaves through Germany’s foreign policy landscape, with the new leader sharply criticizing the Trump administration and calling for Europe to distance itself from Washington. Merz’s comments came during a post-election panel on state broadcaster ARD, where he raised concerns about the future of NATO and the need for Europe to bolster its own defenses.
One of the key points of Merz’s criticism was aimed at Trump confidant and tech billionaire Elon Musk, whom he accused of meddling in the German election campaign. Merz compared Musk’s intervention to that of Russia, stating that both were equally drastic, dramatic, and brazen.
Merz’s victory in the German elections has raised questions about the future direction of Germany’s foreign policy. With his strong stance against Washington and calls for European independence, it remains to be seen how Merz’s leadership will shape Germany’s relationships with its international partners.
As the world watches closely to see how Merz’s leadership unfolds, it is clear that Germany’s foreign policy is at a critical juncture. The tensions between Europe and the United States, as well as the implications of foreign intervention in German politics, will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the country’s diplomatic approach in the coming years.
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Video “What does Friedrich Merz’s election victory mean for Germany’s foreign policy? | DW News” was uploaded on 02/24/2025 to Youtube Channel DW News
Achieving that independence means energy independence, too.
There was never ever been a leader that has proclaimed themselves over and over that they are the greatest leader!! Not even Kim Jung Un does that! Let others say that!! Trump is such a clown.
Hmm, I don't think Trump understands what this means for him.. Its not good😂
did you inform Trump CDU wins not AFD?
Let me extend my congratulations to the new chancellor of Germany. I hope he favors Lutherans .
Stand for freedom Europe. Y'all are the last bastion of decency and sanity. Be strong 💪-❤ the Viets
Defend European way of life, music; techno. Long live techno and eurodance!-the Viets ❤
EURO FORCE=United nited Armies of Europe loading…(UK?)
Germany is a welfare state that can’t afford independence even from the EU. Like most of Europe, they can’t stand on their own.
Exactly. The US has become completely unreliable.
Trump is from his father side German and his mother side Scottish.
That idea from the EU should of have started 3 decades ago! Now? Not sure if that is possible without the internal conflict within EU. The threats and danger are within the EU now and it will only get more deadly!
Let me clarify Trump on knowing of the Germany elections since you both felt the need to be snarky. He didn't and doesn't really care about Germany.
I think trump is so clueles he probably thinks afd won xD im not german but ruleing out coalition with afd and his previous remarks about america dont look like he likes trump
YOU WERE ALREADY INDEPENDENT, FREELOADING HOWEVER IS AN ADDICTION.
TRUMP IS LIKE A FATHER NOW ASKING YOU TO PAY RENT SINCE YOU ARE ALL GROWN UP,
OTHERWISE HE WILL KICK YOU OUT OF THE HOUSE SO THAT YOU CAN ALL GROW UP.
Increase defense spending and increase help for Ukraine? Isn't that what brought down the previous government? 😂
Conservative in Europe or nothing like conservatives in America. They are actually more liberal, than conservative Democrats. Europe needs to stand on their own and get rid of the woke policies.
How is this a win when the collision partner is the former pms party?
Well, great king, truly sad has zero idea about world. 😅😅😅
Get rid of all the woke counterproductive green energy policies and focus on real energy to drive market prices down for a cheaper energy overall around the world.
Ironic Trump, a German american trolling Germany. I guess the matter is personal.
"Is The US still an allie of Germany?" – the SPD has been pro Russia, anti American for decades. Is Gerhart Schroder still a member of the SPD? America has been paying MORE for NATO and the Ukraine war than all of Europe COMBINED.
Wow, the Greens are considering the need for nuclear weapons after villifying nuclear power (the safest and cleanest energy source) and doing so much harm to economy by killing it. Isn't it a bit hypocritical?
Merz:
"I am communicating closely with a lot of prime ministers, and heads of EU states and for me it is an absolute priority to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible, so that we achieve independence from the US, step by step," Merz said.
"I never thought that I would ever need to say something like that, on television, but after the latest statements made by Donald Trump last week, it is clear, that the Americans — at any case these Americans, this administration — mostly don't care about the fate of Europe one way or another," the CDU leader added.
Merz said it was not certain what the future has in store for NATO and if Europe will need to act quickly to shore up its own defenses.
He also criticized Trump confidant and tech billionaire Elon Musk for meddling in the German election campaign, saying that the "intervention from Washington were no less drastic, dramatic, and ultimately no less brazen, than the intervention that we have seen from Moscow."
To be fair I didn't know it was the German Elections until this morning.
Germany is lost forever..
This is good…I guess this is good news for Trump, every nation and one time U.S. ally now thinking of getting its own nuclear weapon. I guess this is the kind of world President Trump desires; hope he can see what betrayal of your allies bring to the doorstep? Germany, a one time pacifist state thinking of arming itself with nuclear stufff? You can se what Russia and Putin has done to the world? You thought Ukraine was naive giving off its weapon, but now the rest of Europe is learning; Putin has woken up the nations
Hope Merz understand only Great Ukraine first 😅
Funny stuff. Donald the big mac crusader didn’t know there was an election?!?!?
Dump trump 🤮
javascript:void(0);
UKRAINE NEVER HAD NUCLEAR WEAPONS!!!!
Are we serious? Is Russia enemy of European Countries – or is it USA game with Russia in which USA used Europe for a long time?
You want to maybe tell us what the German election result means to Germans and for Germany? I heard Trump, the EU, Ukraine.
1:42 if your chancellor is involved with blackrock, you’re about to get screwed as a nation.
Trump has done a great thing. He has woken Europe up to the fact that they must seek military independence. Expensive but necessary. Europe must spend more on defense and more importantly, be militarily independent of arms from outside Europe. New investment in production capability, equipment compatibility, aircraft development, ships and ground equipment is essential to prevent reliance on nations that become politically dysfunctional as the US presently seems to be.
Europe should threaten to sever relations with the United States…
Is it known whether Elon's support helped the far right party gain more seats or did the German public resent his attempts at manipulation and vote for others? Or was it pretty much shrugged off and the results were what was expected even if he'd never gotten in the middle?
I don't get why everyone makes a big deal of the AfD being "far right"? It is an appropriate descriptor if you assume that "far right" means "more right wing than the next relevant party which is the CDU and/or CSU." You can similarly argue that "Die Linke" is the "far left" because their politics are "more left wing than the next relevant parties which are the Greene and/or SDP."
what i know is that Germany can't let russia start world war without them😂
Correction: Trump was attacking woke views, not Western views.
Germany is sliding back into authoritarianism all over again just like in the 1930's
Ameriacans hear "conservative " and don't relize they are just as impotent and Islamo-marxist as the socialist (look at how "conservatives" gave away the UK to the 3rd world)
Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz talked big but acted scared. Europe needs German strength and leadership.
TBH, I'm hoping that Germany becomes a calphate in the next few years. Food would be awesome for a change. Here's hoping! 🤞