-
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been growing increasingly critical of the European Union.
-
His tone marks a notable shift compared to his more EU-friendly predecessor.
-
Meanwhile, Merz has been building a relationship with EU-critical U.S. President Donald Trump.
The historically EU-friendly Merz, a former member of the European Parliament, now has a long list of complaints about the bloc. This has included objections to an increase in the EU’s new long-term budget that was proposed last month, as well as calling the bloc out for sluggishness and complex bureaucracy. Germany was also among the louder critics of the EU-U.S. trade agreement.
What does it mean to accept that? Try to get in good standing with them? Make agreements and treaties that they will ignore to their liking? Let them and everyone do what they want, and not demand or voice own views and values?
Trying to keep a rules based international order is all we have left. Even if it does not always apply in practice, it’s better than not having it.
To prepare to turn any major city of an attacker into glass if it dares to attack - and to do this alone without reliance on some foreign power. So, to go the french route.