First, note the increased EU-bashing from Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), over the last couple months. Meanwhile, he’s deepening ties with the new U.S. President Donald Trump, the loudest and most frequent critic of European-style governance. Beyond the implications for climate politics, this shift is an indication of Merz’s evolving political strategy. He is instrumental in reorienting the CDU in line with a more nationalist and Euro-skeptic mood.
In recent public appearances, including speeches and interviews, Merz has revealed an increasing impatience with the EU’s approach. He writes that these policies attack national sovereignty and economic independence. His statements point to a growing anti-elitist, populist wave occurring in European politics. This trend resonates with voters who have been left behind by the EU’s technocratic decision-making. This is a notable departure from the classic pro-European Union and pro-European integration rhetoric that has characterized most of Merz’s predecessors.
So the timing of Merz’s criticisms could not be more advantageous as he works to establish goodwill with Donald Trump. The previous U.S. president was a nearly unbroken font of anti-EU sentiment. He thinks its regulatory frameworks and trade agreements undermine the free-market principles they claim to uphold. By aligning himself with Trump, Merz aims to attract support from a base that values nationalistic policies over collective European governance. This new connection may provide Merz with a supremely advantageous platform. He is free to worsen relations with the EU or push for a new, vague role for Germany as a leading global power.
Merz’s efforts have not escaped the notice of political observers. Critics worry that this approach will deter moderate voters who support the coalition’s goal of continuing close relations with Europe. Merz seems undaunted, intent on appealing for the time being to nationalists and others who value national interests above all else. His strategy exemplifies a widely and rapidly growing trend among European leaders. They are persistently calling into question the EU’s role in their countries as a wave of populism sweeps across Europe.
The incoming CDU is warming themselves up for the next federal elections. Merz’s alliance with Trump is thus a double-edged sword. This is sure to galvanize a large and growing segment of the electorate. It risks exacerbating rifts inside Germany over its leadership role in Europe. Observers are keenly attuned to how this new dynamic affects both voter mood and party cohesion going forward.