German CDU’s Chancellor Candidate Friedrich Merz Outlines Security and Defense Policies
Friedrich Merz, the top contender for the CDU’s chancellor candidacy, has outlined his vision for Germany’s security and defense policies during a recent appearance at the Körber Stiftung. Merz proposed the establishment of a National Security Council within the Chancellery, which would serve as the central hub for collective decision-making in the federal government.
The council would comprise the ministers responsible for internal and external security, representatives from the federal states and key security agencies. This concept is not unique to Germany, as many countries, including the US, Israel, Ukraine and Russia, have similar bodies.
Merz emphasized that the creation of such a council is long overdue in Germany, as it would enable the government to find a unified stance on fundamental issues and then represent it collectively. He also stressed that the era of European partners receiving different responses from Berlin, depending on which ministry they approached, must come to an end.
In addition to his security and defense plans, Merz touched on the topic of development cooperation, which he sees as an instrument for strengthening Germany’s strategic interests. He also expressed a desire to repair relations with Poland and France and to reinvigorate the “Diktum of the State’s Raison d’être”with Israel.
Merz has also expressed interest in expanding European military engagement, going beyond the region. He suggested establishing a permanent European naval base in the Indo-Pacific, which could raise concerns in Beijing. The CDU leader has been criticized for his views on China, labeling it a “revanchist, anti-liberal axis of states”that seeks to challenge liberal democracies, alongside Russia, North Korea and Iran.
Merz has also warned German companies of the risks of investing in China, stating that it is not a state that adheres to the same legal standards as Germany. He emphasized that companies must be prepared for greater disruptions.
Ending the war in Ukraine, led by Russia, would be a strategic priority for a government under his leadership, Merz promised. He also emphasized the importance of the Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the need for a democratically legitimized government to exercise its sovereignty.
Merz is the only chancellor candidate who has explicitly spoken of the need for Ukraine to win the war, which may raise concerns about the potential for a more confrontational approach in his government’s foreign policy.