Overview
- During his inaugural visit, Merz met Benjamin Netanyahu, visited Yad Vashem, reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to Israel’s security, warned against annexation steps in the West Bank, and reiterated support for a two‑state solution.
- Human Rights Watch and others questioned the meeting because Netanyahu is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued in November 2024.
- Netanyahu again rejected a Palestinian state and dismissed war‑crimes allegations, underscoring clear differences with Berlin’s stance outlined by Merz.
- At home, Merz’s coalition narrowly passed a contentious pension package with 318 votes, a margin so slim that three fewer supporters would have undercut his chancellorial majority.
- Authorities reported more than 140 law‑enforcement contacts involving alleged insults against the chancellor and 5,155 Paragraph‑188 cases in the first nine months of 2025, many flagged by reporting platforms, as some prosecutions were dropped and critics warned of SLAPP‑like effects.