Friedrich Merz delivered a pointed rebuke of Donald Trump and criticized the Green party during a speech in Trier, Germany, drawing applause from the audience when addressing the far-right AfD party. The remarks come as Merz seeks to solidify his leadership and navigate a complex political landscape in Germany.
Friedrich Merz entered the hall at 6:18 PM local time, shaking hands with attendees as he made his way to the stage. Over 1,000 people rose to applaud, and Merz appeared relaxed. This marked his first political Ash Wednesday address as Chancellor and a key appearance ahead of the CDU party congress on Friday, where he will seek re-election as party leader.
Accompanying Merz on his walk through the hall was Gordon Schnieder, the CDU’s lead candidate in Rhineland-Palatinate. Schnieder hopes to unseat the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which has governed the state for 35 years, currently in a coalition government. Recent polls show the Christian Democrats leading, though the SPD has narrowed the gap to three percentage points.
The event in Trier carries significant weight. The Chancellor’s presence is intended to bolster Schnieder’s campaign, particularly as he is less well-known than his opponent. Merz canceled a planned appearance at a political Ash Wednesday event in Thuringia to attend.
“Dear Federal Chancellor, dear Friedrich, I am very pleased that you have come back to Rhineland-Palatinate,” Schnieder said in his speech. He described the visit as “a great, a clear signal” for the election and thanked Merz for his work. “We finally have a Federal Chancellor who speaks plainly, we finally have a Federal Chancellor who represents Germany with dignity in Europe and the world. Thank you very much for that.”
Schnieder then outlined what he characterized as the SPD’s failures in Rhineland-Palatinate. He claimed the state has fallen from the top to the bottom tier in education policy, now ranking with Bremen. He also criticized healthcare policies, citing “cold, unplanned hospital closures.” These are key themes Schnieder is emphasizing in the campaign. Rhineland-Palatinate currently ranks twelfth in the Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft (INSM) education monitor, and many hospitals in the state face insolvency.
Schnieder has been running a low-key campaign, avoiding bombastic rhetoric. The atmosphere at the event in Trier was subdued; attendees were not permitted to bring drinks into the hall.
Merz also adopted a measured tone. He recounted his time stationed in Kusel, in the Western Palatinate, during his military service: “There was the artillery school. And the motto was: We grasp neither friend nor foe, only worthwhile targets.” The audience laughed. Merz stated that the CDU would achieve “a convincing result” in Rhineland-Palatinate, adding, “Then the last traffic light coalition in the Federal Republic of Germany will be history.”
“Where are our friends in the world?” Merz asked
Merz soon turned to world politics in his speech. He described the war in Ukraine as “a profound turning point,” arguing that the period since the complete of the Cold War had been merely “an interim phase.” “And now world history is catching up with us with full force.” He said Germans were “irritated” and “speechless” by the return of great powers and spheres of influence. “And, ladies and gentlemen, we – not just the Germans, but Europeans – are in the middle of it, with the open question: Where are our partners now? Where are our friends in the world? And what are we doing?”
Merz argued that Europe could only prevail by “returning to the strengths of our European model” – not the European bureaucracy, but “a foundation of values.” He emphasized the importance of remembering “what the founding fathers of the European Union wanted” – not primarily an economic community, but cooperation that “ensures that we, as democracies, never again wage war against each other.”
Merz then sharply criticized the AfD. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I am therefore so clear, so uncompromising, and also relentless in dealing with those who call themselves Alternative for Germany, because I am not prepared to lend a hand to allow this European heritage of our Federal Republic of Germany to be lightly gambled away by such populists.” The statement resonated with the audience, and several people stood and applauded.
“We must be prepared to defend our freedom again,” Merz said, both externally and internally. He argued for a “fight” against those who “want to restrict our freedom here at home.” He also called for a discussion about “artificially generated false news” on social networks, questioning whether society should allow itself to be “disintegrated in this way.”
Merz alluded to a possible social media ban for children, which will be debated at the upcoming CDU party congress. “Probably two years ago at this point, I would have said something different to you on this topic.” But he said he had “completely underestimated” the potential for “targeted and controlled influence.” He also stated his belief in requiring real names on the internet, even if it meant being “in the minority.”
“Refugees must also have their place in Germany in the future”
Merz continued to address various issues. Regarding migration, he said Germany wants to remain an open country, noting that immigrants have contributed to prosperity and will continue to be needed. “But we want to clearly distinguish between those who come to us and migrate into the labor market, and those who come to us and rely on the social security systems,” he said, adding, “Refugees must also have their place in Germany in the future.” But, he stated that “systematic immigration into the social security systems” is unacceptable.
On the topic of U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies, Merz said tariffs could be imposed by the Americans “in their own decision-making,” but “it is not our policy. And I will say the same thing at my next visit in Washington.” His message was: “You can do it, but we will not go along with it. And if you exaggerate, then we Europeans are quite capable of defending ourselves against it.”
He also took a swipe at the Green party. When discussing the Mercosur agreement, which the EU concluded with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, Merz asked in a somber tone: “What has happened to the Greens? At the last minute, in the European Parliament, together with the AfD and the far-left to endeavor to prevent this agreement?” Members of the Green party had voted to refer the Mercosur agreement to the European Court of Justice.
According to a recent poll, Germans are even more dissatisfied with Merz than they were with former Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). The CDU is regularly competing with the AfD for first place in opinion polls. In the Trier Europahalle, that political context was not apparent. Merz delivered his speech to a receptive audience. As he finished after more than 50 minutes, the audience rose to applaud once again.
Sebastian Gubernator is a news editor and correspondent in Frankfurt am Main. He is currently reporting on the election campaign in Rhineland-Palatinate.
