Merz’s First New Year’s Address Casts 2026 as a Decisive Year for Germany and Europe
The published remarks signal a pivot toward European self-reliance.
Overview
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that Germany is not a pawn of great powers and urged confidence in national agency.
- He identified the war in Ukraine as a direct threat to Germany’s freedom and security and called for stronger deterrence and defense readiness.
- He warned that the economy faces strain from needed reforms, high costs and trade disputes, with a resurgence of protectionism.
- He cautioned that strategic dependencies on raw materials are being used as political leverage against German interests.
- He noted shifting ties with the United States and said Europeans must safeguard their interests by their own means, with the address text released by the federal cabinet press service ahead of the Dec. 31 broadcast.