Friedrich Merz China Visit: ‘Great potential for growth’: Germany’s Friedrich Merz seeks closer China ties, presses Beijing on Ukraine

[ad_1] Chinese President Xi Jinping, second from right meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, second left, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China (Picture credit: AP) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday called for closer cooperation with China while pressing for fairer trade rules and urging Beijing to use its influence to help end […]

Why undoing the EU combustion engine ban spooks car rentals

[ad_1] Representative photo (AP) Europe’s auto industry is braced for a major announcement from the EU on December 10, which could see significant changes made to the European Commission’s proposed 2035 combustion engine phase-out.However, amid pressure from carmakers and other affected sectors such as car rental and car leasing companies, the announcement may now be […]

Does adopting far-right rhetoric help the political center?

[ad_1] People protest against a recent comment by Chancellor and CDU head Friedrich Merz (AP) Parties of both the center-right and the center-left are unintentionally strengthening far-right parties by repeating their ideas and rhetoric in a doomed attempt to shrink their support, according to a new study by the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB).The study, […]

‘Ukraine should be involved’: Germany’s Merz on Trump-Putin summit; hopes for breakthrough

[ad_1] File: German chancellor Friedrich Merz (AP image) Germany assumes that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend a summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin next Friday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday.Putin and Trump will meet in the US state of Alaska on Friday to try to resolve the […]

Middle East crisis: Friedrich Merz halts German military exports to Israel over Gaza issue; urges aid access

[ad_1] German chancellor Friedrich Merz (AP image) Germany chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday announced that German will suspend the export of military equipment to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip. This announcement came in response to Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City.Merz said it was becoming “increasingly difficult to understand” […]

Merz on Lithuania visit says Russia threatens ‘security in Europe’ | World News

[ad_1] VILNIUS: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned Thursday that Russia threatened security in Europe, during a visit to Lithuania to mark the formation of his country’s first permanent overseas military unit since World War II.“There is a threat to us all from Russia,” Merz said at a press conference in Vilnius. “We are protecting ourselves […]

Who is Friedrich Merz? Germany’s New Chancellor elected after rare second ballot

[ad_1] Friedrich Merz, 69, a conservative stalwart and longtime rival of Angela Merkel, was elected Germany’s 10th postwar chancellor on Tuesday after a dramatic two-round parliamentary vote. His appointment marks a return to the national spotlight for a politician who once left public life altogether.Merz secured the chancellorship in a second ballot with 325 votes […]

Germany in turmoil as Merz fails in chancellor bid: What happens next?

[ad_1] ‘Merz should step aside’: AfD demands fresh elections after failed chancellor vote Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) on Tuesday demanded new general elections after conservative leader Friedrich Merz failed to win an outright majority in parliament to become chancellor.Merz secured 310 of the 630 ballots cast in the Bundestag (Germany’s federal parliament), falling […]

Germany’s Friedrich Merz falls short of majority in first vote to become chancellor

[ad_1] Friedrich Merz has failed to secure enough support to become Germany’s next chancellor, falling short by six votes in the Bundestag’s first round of voting. In a secret ballot held on Tuesday, Merz received 310 votes in favour, just under the required 316 needed to secure a majority in the 630-member parliament.The outcome was […]

Why is Germany’s next chancellor, Merz, so unpopular? | World News

[ad_1] Friedrich Merz (Photo: X) If all goes to plan, Friedrich Merz will become the Federal Republic‘s 10th chancellor on May 6. The two remaining hurdles appear to be formalities: On Monday, his conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will convene for a special party conference to approve the coalition contract with the center-left Social Democratic […]