The German chancellor candidate from the opposition CDU/CSU bloc, Friedrich Merz, harshly criticized the current head of the German government, Olaf Scholz, who is seeking re-election as a candidate from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
In his podcast MerzMail on December 15, Merz stated:
Most European leaders no longer want to meet with Germany’s federal chancellor, who either sits in silence for hours or lectures them about the structure of the world.
He described the current government’s European policy as a “complete failure.” Merz highlighted Germany’s lack of activity on the international stage, emphasizing that over the past three years, Berlin has failed to propose any initiatives in key areas such as migration or economic policy.
The candidate also drew attention to Germany’s consistent abstentions in Brussels votes, which has already led to the emergence of the term “German Vote.” He accused government members, including Economy Minister Robert Habeck, of neglecting important Brussels meetings.
