New German Chancellor Merz aims for stronger EU ties with France and Poland
Visiting Paris and Warsaw, Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke about defence and European unity, marking a shift from his predecessor's policies and aiming for a stronger EU.
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00:00It was a slightly battered leader who visited Paris and Warsaw on Wednesday.
00:07For his first official trip abroad, the new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz did not arrive in the position of strength he had hoped for.
00:15He needed two rounds of voting the day before to be confirmed as head of government.
00:20This political misstep is likely to weigh heavily on the shoulders of Merz, who wants a strong Germany within a strong Europe, more independent of the United States.
00:30By devoting more resources to defense and evoking France's nuclear deterrent, the German Christian Democrats' rhetoric will likely appeal to the French president, who advocates strategic autonomy for the EU.
00:42Yes, it looks promising. It's a good news, as it could not be worse between Macron and Scholz, which was not understood at all.
00:51So I think with Merz, who said he would be more concerned about international relations and European affairs, we will have a French-Franco-Allemans.
00:59After Paris, Merz went to Warsaw. Poland is the EU country that devotes the largest share of its budget to defense.
01:06This is a point at which the two leaders who come from the same political family will be able to draw closer together.
01:13I think Merz is traditionally a very much France-oriented politician.
01:21So he's coming from West Germany. He has a lot of experience with France, of course, also with the United States, but with France as well.
01:30So for him, this French direction is very natural. It's obvious.
01:39Poland is a less obvious partner, I think, for Merz, but he knows, he understands, I think, very well that it's not enough for France and Germany to lead Europe.
01:50That the situation is different, Europe is different than it was in the past, and that Poland is also needed as a part of this European core.
02:00With these two trips, Merz indicates that he wishes to revitalize the Weimar Triangle, the forum for cooperation between France, Germany and Poland.
02:09His agenda also underlines his desire to take his action to the level of the Union, as he will meet the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council on Friday.
