Germany: Chancellor Merz makes appeal to AfD voters

Germany: Chancellor Merz makes appeal to AfD voters July 15, 2026The annual summer press conference with the chancellor is one of the last public events before Friedrich Merzare also goes on vacation. And the Federal Press Conference Room was packed to capacity for the occasion. Journalists were greeted by a chancellor who appeared to be quite content with himself — and that despite poor poll numbers, with only between 13% and 20% of people in Germany satisfied with how he and his coalition of conservatives and social democrats are doing their jobs. "The coalition has found its footing," said Merz. "The outcome has been positive," he continued. "The federal government has found its rhythm, despite some criticism. We've delivered." Merz was specifically referring to the reforms — already adopted but not yet approved by Parliament — in the areas of pensions, healthcare and taxes, which he went on to elaborate on in detail. He specifically mentioned reforms to the pension system, which will allocate a small portion of retirement funds toward investments for the first time. Merz said: "We should have done this 30 years ago, just like the Swedes, the Danes, the Dutch and many others around the world who did it long ago. But at least we're starting now." Journalists mainly asked about the AfD But despite all the reforms, the journalists' questions then turned to the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a party the domestic intelligence agency has found in part to be far-right extremist. The party currently leads in the polls going into two state elections in eastern German states this September. So how does Merz hope to prevent far-right extremists from taking power in Germany? Merz began by evading the question, but when pressed, the chancellor then surprisingly addressed voters in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania directly: "Take a close look; don't let information from social media — no matter where it is coming from — be your only source. Instead, look at what the federal government is trying to accomplish," Merz said. In response to a question from a journalist from the Netherlands, Merz argued that it would indeed be "something else entirely" if right-wing extremists were once again able to seize power in Germany, of all places, given its Nazi past. Despite all the polls, Merz remains confident ahead of the September elections. "The election campaigns are just getting underway. I am confident that we will succeed in preventing the AfD from securing a majority of seats in the state legislatures of the three states — especially in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania," he said. Elections will be held in September not only in those two eastern German states but also in the German capital, Berlin, which is a federal state in its own right. Criticism of US policy A question from DW addressed a report about plans by the US State Department to launch a $5 million (€4.3 million) grant program designed to support groups in Europe which could include those affiliated with the AfD. In response, Merz stated: "I have always said that we, for our part, do not interfere in US elections. We have always adhered to that principle. And conversely, I do not want US institutions to interfere in German elections. And perhaps one additional point: It is illegal to finance political parties in Germany from abroad." Despite all these problems, Merz exuded confidence, even though issues such as the crumbling infrastructure, the increasing polarization of society and — last but not least — the sluggish economy are a major cause for concern for many people. On this last point, Merz did admit that he still sees a significant need to catch up. Economically, the country is not where he would like it to be, the chancellor said: "We've achieved a lot, but it's still far from enough." The key issue, he said, is how to restore the competitiveness of the German economy. It is only at this point that Merz made reference to the unpredictable US President Donald Trump — though still without mentioning him by name. The US government, said Merz, has "harmed" the German economy through its tariff policy. Merz defends proposal for Ukraine's EU association In response to another question from DW, Merz reiterated his controversial proposal to initially grant the embattled Ukraine only the prospect of EU association (without voting rights). Merz said we must be honest with the Ukrainians and tell them that the path to Europe is more difficult than initially thought but that he, Merz, is now in favor of taking small but steady steps: "At the moment, there are essentially five Western Balkan states, Moldova and Ukraine that we are considering as prospective new members of the European Union. They are waiting for the European Union to take the next steps." Merz acknowledged that it has been 13 years since the EU admitted any new members, even though there have been many such promises. Now, small but sincere steps are needed to ensure the EU maintains its credibility, said Merz. "If we lose this credibility, we lose these countries." Some tentative soul-searching At one point, Friedrich Merz did offer a moment of self-criticism: During the election campaign about a year and a half ago, Merz promised to put an end to taking on new debt. Only to launch a massive debt package shortly thereafter to fund the rearmament of the Bundeswehr, climate protection and infrastructure. This, he said, has now become a "significant burden on my personal credibility as well." This was one of the few moments, however, in which Friedrich Merz showed any hesitation about his policies. Adding that the coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats would continue to govern calmly and resolutely. This article was translated from German.