Skip next section Pledge to make immigration laws tougher but fair
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Pledge to make immigration laws tougher but fair
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged a tough new policy, citing years of uncontrolled immigration and weak labor market integration.
Germany, he said, would remain a country of immigration but with more control, rejections, and returns.
“We have allowed too much uncontrolled immigration, and have enabled too little qualified migration into our labor market — and especially into our social security systems.”
Plans include , ending certain admissions, and launching a return initiative to countries like Syria and Afghanistan.
At the same time, integration would be supported — especially for well-integrated individuals.
Merz said his government would “make it a priority to ensure that people who remain in Germany can enter the labor market as quickly as possible.”
“For well-integrated individuals with tolerated status, who support themselves and speak German, we will create a right to remain.”
“Our new migration policy is a sign of responsibility — clear, fair, and oriented toward the welfare of our country.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4uNLq
Skip next section Merz announces new pragmatic approach on climate
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Merz announces new pragmatic approach on climate
Merz said his new government would stand by Germany’s and Europe’s climate goals, but that it would adopt new pragmatic approaches.
The central instrument, he said, would be carbon pricing — a market-based monetary cost is applied to greenhouse gas emissions.
However, he said, the revenues from this would not disappear into the federal budget, but be returned directly to businesses and citizens.
“Moreover, we will align our energy policy systematically with affordability, cost-efficiency, and security of supply — pragmatically, free of ideology, and open to all technologies.”
“As a first step, we are cutting electricity taxes. That will bring noticeable relief to everyone—in the short term.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4uNIw
Skip next section Merz highlights plan to restart German ‘locomotive of growth’
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Merz highlights plan to restart German ‘locomotive of growth’
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has unveiled a sweeping economic recovery package, declaring that Germany must overcome an “unprecedented” recession by removing barriers to growth.
“We will do everything we can to put Germany’s economy back on a growth path — by investing and reforming. The two go hand in hand.”
“We can once again become a locomotive of growth — one that the world looks upon with admiration.”
Merz outlined several core measures:
- Immediate tax relief for corporate investments
- A five-year phased reduction in corporate tax rates
- €150 billion for infrastructure upgrades
- A new Ministry for Digitalization and Modernization
- A 24-hour fast-track for startup registration
He also pledged to repeal the controversial supply chain due diligence law and simplify regulations across sectors. “Let’s give businesses and workers more trust, more freedom, and less bureaucracy,” Merz said.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uN0m
Skip next section Chancellor highlights Germany’s foreign policy moves
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Chancellor highlights Germany’s foreign policy moves
Chancellor Friedrich Merz outlined a whirlwind of diplomatic activity in his first week in office aimed at reasserting Germany’s leadership role on the global stage.
He began with a reset in Franco-German relations through talks with President Macron, followed by a symbolic first-day visit to Warsaw.
In Brussels, he pledged to end Germany’s habit of abstaining on key EU decisions.
Merz also made a high-profile joint visit to Kyiv alongside leaders from France, the UK, and Poland, signaling unwavering support for Ukraine.
On transatlantic ties, he emphasized close coordination with the US and revealed talks with US President Donald Trump about halting hostilities in Ukraine.
Reaffirming Germany’s commitment to NATO, Merz stated: “We must be able to defend ourselves so that we don’t have to. Strength deters aggressors. Weakness invites them.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMz7
Skip next section Merz wants Germany to have ‘strongest conventional army in Europe’
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Merz wants Germany to have ‘strongest conventional army in Europe’
Merz has been emphatic in framing Russia’s war in Ukraine as a direct threat to European peace.
“This terrible war and its outcome will not only determine the fate of Ukraine. Its outcome will determine whether law and justice continue to apply in Europe and the world — or whether tyranny, military violence, and the naked law of the strongest will prevail.”
“What is at stake in Ukraine is nothing less than the peace order of our entire continent.”
Germany, he said, would reassert its leadership role in Europe, rebuild trust with partners, and back Ukraine unambiguously.
“We are not a party to the war, and we do not intend to become one. But we are also not disinterested third parties or neutral mediators between the fronts. There must be no doubt where we stand: unambiguously on the side of Ukrainians.”
Promising the Bundeswehr would become “the strongest conventional army in Europe,” Merz pledged sustained investment and a new voluntary national service.
“This is appropriate for the most populous and economically strongest country in Europe. That is what our friends and partners expect of us — indeed, they are explicitly demanding it.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMwX
Skip next section Chancellor pays tribute to predecessor Scholz
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Chancellor pays tribute to predecessor Scholz
Merz has paid tribute to his for his response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Scholz has been praised for announcing a shift in Germany’s approach to its military, boosting defense spending and ending reliance on Russian energy. He later became a key supporter of Ukraine through arms, aid, and EU unity.
Merz addressed Scholz personally: “Your response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine was pioneering — and historic. For that, you have the thanks and recognition of this House and our entire country.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMtb
Skip next section Merz says coalition will take ‘responsibility for Germany’
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Merz says coalition will take ‘responsibility for Germany’
Making his first official address to the Bundestag as Chancellor, Friedrich Merz is laying out an agenda calling for reform, national renewal, and assertive international leadership.
The coalition, he says, will govern under the banner of “Responsibility for Germany.”
“We place ourselves jointly in the service of our country and all 84 million of its citizens,” said Merz.
“We want to govern in order to move our country forward again under its own power.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMqc
Skip next section What is Merz likely to say?
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
What is Merz likely to say?
Merz’s message is likely to echo the coalition blueprint. Here’s what he’s likely to touch on.
He is likely to place a strong focus on , citing overregulation, high costs, and weak infrastructure as contributing factors to the country’s current recession.
Merz is anticipated to unveil reforms and investment plans aimed at restoring growth, cutting bureaucracy, boosting digitalization, and encouraging innovation.
On Ukraine, the chancellor is expected to reaffirm Germany’s support and its commitment to Europe’s liberal order—rejecting neutrality while stressing deterrence, defense spending, and transatlantic cooperation.
Merz may also advocate for , including with the US and China, alongside greater strategic autonomy for Europe.
In line with the coalition agreement, he is likely to outline a pragmatic climate approach that emphasizes affordability and favors incentives over penalties for emissions reductions.
He has signaled support for modernizing labor laws to provide greater flexibility for both employers and workers, as well as updating the welfare state to better reward employment and savings.
On migration, Merz is expected to emphasize and steps to promote faster and in keeping with campaign pledges.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMl7
Skip next section Merz says lack of government experience is ‘great opportunity’
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Merz says lack of government experience is ‘great opportunity’
has described the fact that he and his 17 federal ministers have little experience in federal government as a “great opportunity to truly change something in this country.”
Merz was speaking at an economic conference of his conservative Christian Democrats on Tuesday evening.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius from the previous center-left government is the only cabinet member who previously served in Germany’s federal government.
While Merz was elected Chancellor on May 6th, it took a second round of voting to get him across the line — something that hasn’t been necessary in Germany’s .
After the bumpy start, Merz is hoping for a speedy implementation of the government’s plans for key areas like growth, migration, defense.
He is likely to stay within the framework of the coalition agreement, but will also likely set some new priorities.
After Merz outlines his policy program in his first statement to , his ministers will present their plans to lawmakers one by one until Friday.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMKd
Skip next section Merz heralds plan to make Germany work again
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Merz heralds plan to make Germany work again
In his first government statement on Wednesday, is expected to call on fellow Germans to make a “tremendous effort” to make their country more competitive again.
Merz on Tuesday evening gave a foretaste of the messages that his approximately 45-minute speech in Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, is set to contain at an economics conference of his conservative .
“We need to work more and, above all, more efficiently in this country,” he emphasized.
“With a four-day week and work-life balance, we will not be able to maintain the prosperity of this country.”
He pointed out that an amendment to the 40-hour week in the Working Hours Act was agreed upon in the coalition agreement between his conservative CDU- bloc and the .
This change aims to provide greater flexibility in work schedules, potentially allowing for arrangements like a four-day workweek without reducing total working hours.
This must now be implemented “fairly soon,” said Merz, who was elected chancellor in a historic second-round vote in the Bundestag.
Germany’s economy is set to contract by 0.2% this year and slip into recession for a third consecutive year, according to a new forecast by the Cologne-based German Economic Institute (IW).
https://p.dw.com/p/4uM3s
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
A little over a week after being officially elected by lawmakers as ‘s chancellor, will deliver his first government statement in the Bundestag.
In an approximately 45-minute speech, he is expected to present his program for the start of the coalition between the conservative CDU/CSU bloc and the center-left Social Democrats.
Before that, lawmakers were set to grill Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and Chief of Staff Thorsten Frei about their plans in a parliamentary question-and-answer session.
This blog will keep you updated with all of that, as well as other news from Germany.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uM3G
The post Germany: Merz vows to build Europe’s strongest army appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
