The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) won overwhelmingly in a federal election in which four parties received at least 10 percent of the overall vote. The CDU won roughly 28.6% of the vote.
According to the Economist, “Some 83% of eligible Germans cast a ballot, the highest figure since reunification 35 years ago.”
However, the biggest news out of the election is Friedrich Merz becoming the next Chancellor of Germany after Angela Merkel.
Merz is leery of the U.S. and its current relations with Europe.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance spoke at the Munich Security Conference on February 15. Vance spoke critically of European Union and stated the worst threat to Europe comes not from Russia or China, but from within Europe itself.
In a speech following Vance, the soon-to-be German Chancellor responded to the Vice President’s claims:
“This is really now the change of an era. If we don’t hear the wake-up call now, it might be too late for the entire European Union.”
He expressed the same sentiment in a televised speech after his election on February 23:
“I never thought I would have to say something like this on a television program. But after Donald Trump’s statements last week at the latest, it is clear that the Americans, at least this part of the Americans, this administration, are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe.”
Prompted by the current U.S. Presidential Administration’s approach toward Europe, Merz aims for Germany, and the rest of Europe, to transition from being dependent on its major ally across the Atlantic.
“My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA,” Merz stated.
Yet whether the Chancellor is committed to fulfilling this priority is uncertain. Merz maintains that “America First” combined with an “America Alone” policy could be difficult for Europe to manage. On February 24, he told reporters: “We must prepare for the worst-case scenario.”
