Bundestag election 2025 Live: Klingbeil: Union has to make some concessions

CDU boss Friedrich Merz warned the US government about a turn away from Europe. “If those who not only choose ‘America First’, but almost ‘America Alone’ in America, then it will be difficult,” said the election winner in Berlin. However, he hoped that it would be possible to maintain the transatlantic relationship. “As I said, it is in our mutual interest. If it should be destroyed, it will not only be to the damage of Europe, it will also be the damage to America.”

However, this is urgently needed that the Europeans would appear united, said Merz. On Sunday he made France President Emmanuel Macron on the phone during his flight to Washington. “We talked about the topics he wants to discuss with the American President. And I have found a perfect agreement between what he wants to present and what I want in the matter,” emphasizes the CDU chairman. He asked Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) again to coordinate all foreign policy activities with him from now on.

It is good that Macron and the British Prime Minister Keir Stranger traveled to Washington. In the future, a Federal Chancellor and the Polish Prime Minister would have to be there, Merz warned.

With a view to NATO, Merz said that the defense alliance is still working well and he hoped that this would continue to be the case. With regard to statements by US President Donald Trump, Merz had previously expressed doubts as to whether NATO was still available in June, when Germany celebrates its 70th anniversary of membership.

Read here how Trump reacted to the results of the Bundestag election: