German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned Friday that Europe must grow stronger to defend against an “axis” of autocratic nations targeting liberal democracy more aggressively than at any time since the Cold War.
Speaking at an event marking the 35th anniversary of Germany’s reunification along with French President Emmanuel Macron, both leaders warned that Europe must gird itself to endure massive political and economic shifts around the globe.
“The centers of power in the world are shifting to an extent not seen since the end of the Cold War,” Merz said. “An axis of autocratic states that challenges the liberal order around the world is directly challenging Western democracies. That is why we must regain the ability to defend our freedom.”
Merz said that “the radiance of what we in the West call liberal democracy is noticeably diminishing,” adding: “It is no longer a given that the world will orient itself towards us, that it will follow our values of liberal democracy.”
“New alliances of autocracies are forming against us and attacking liberal democracy as a way of life,” Merz said.
Recent global turmoil has struck Germany with particular force. Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine and the erosion of the transatlantic alliance have compelled the country’s leaders to invest massively in rebuilding the relatively feeble German military. The energy shock that accompanied the Ukraine invasion and U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff wars have both hit German industry particularly hard.
But Macron too, speaking after Merz, echoed parts of the chancellor’s message, arguing that Europe is undergoing a “degeneration of democracy” due to attacks on various fronts — including from within.
“We are also threatened from the outside. But we should not be naive. On the inside we are turning on ourselves; we doubt our own democracy,” he said. “We see everywhere that something is happening to our democratic fabric. Democratic debate is turning into a debate of hatred.”
Much of that degeneration is due to online discourse on platforms controlled by U.S. and Chinese firms, said Macron.
“We’ve been guilty … of handing over our public democratic space to social networks owned by big American entrepreneurs and Chinese firms whose interests are not at all the survival and the good functioning of our democracy,” said Macron.
Both leaders said Europe must build up its economic competitiveness to have the muscle to face the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
“The global economic order is being rewritten, it is being rebuilt,” Merz said. “Egoism is becoming more visible again. And perhaps that is why we have become economically weaker and why the social promises we have made to each other are so much harder to fulfill today than they used to be.”
Merz called on Europe to “oppose a new wave of protectionism in the world” by forging ahead with new trade rules and seeking new markets.
“Europe must refocus on its economic competitiveness,” he said.
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