Merz pledges to restore trust, reinforce Germany's borders
Friedrich Merz, the German Christian Democratic Union's candidate for Chancellor ahead of the February parliamentary elections, promises to rebuild trust in Berlin's international relations.
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is seen as the favourite in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Germany, which will be held on 23rd February. The leader of the Christian Democrats, Friedrich Merz, will be the main candidate for Chancellor.
In his recent speech in Berlin, he emphasised that, once leading the new government, he will seek to restore trust among allies. "Wavering, delaying, and hesitation have replaced clarity of action and the sense that we Germans can be trusted," Merz stated.
Merz: Germany will continue deportations of immigrants
Merz plans a new security strategy focusing on restoring Germany's defensive capabilities. He emphasised that "strength deters aggressors, and weakness encourages them." "I want Germany and Europe to be strong, with robust armed forces, strong civil defence, and solid infrastructure," Merz said.
Simultaneously, he supported the continuation of current measures, stating his support for further border controls with all neighbouring countries and mass deportations of migrants. "They must occur daily. Their number must finally increase, exceeding the number of arriving illegal immigrants. This is the only way to finally get the problem under control," Merz conveyed.
Merz addressed global threats, including the war in Ukraine and Russia's ambitions. "Putin has shifted his country to a wartime economy and continues to arm," he assessed. He highlighted China's ambitions towards "unification" with Taiwan as one of the most perilous threats to global security.
"Germany and Europe must continue to support Ukraine, but we must not become a party to the war. Peace in Ukraine cannot be imposed. Ukraine must win the war. Russia must not be allowed the chance to continue this war," added Merz.
