Merz Cracks the Trump Code With Friendly White House Meeting

Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany spoke rarely but reverently, and found a warm reception in the Oval Office. Now he hopes to turn rapport into policy wins.

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At an Uncertain Moment for Germany, Suddenly Boring Doesn’t Look So Bad

The small city of Bielefeld was once the butt of jokes for its blandness. Now it embodies the kind of stability Germans long for.

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Pope Francis’ Death Silences a Voice for the Voiceless

As democratic values and alliances were being turned upside down, the pope was a consistent moral guidepost. Who can play that role now?

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Some European Allies Fear Trump Is Out to Destroy Them

Debate is building over just how deep the Trump administration’s antagonism runs, and whether the real goal is to destroy the European Union.

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German Election 2025: Friedrich Merz Appears Poised to Be Next Chancellor

Whether he can form a strong coalition remains to be seen, but whatever he does will be an essential part of Europe’s response to President Trump’s reshuffling of alliances.

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Who Is Friedrich Merz, the Man Poised to Be Germany’s Next Chancellor?

Friedrich Merz, leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, has vowed to bring stronger leadership in Europe at a time when the new Trump administration has sowed anxiety on the continent.

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Angela Merkel Is Retired. But She’s Still on the Ballot.

If anything unites the parties in Germany’s election campaign, it is running away from the former chancellor, whose legacy voters have soured on.

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German Opposition Gambles With Far-Right on Immigration, and Loses

Friedrich Merz and his Christian Democrats broke a political taboo by working with the hard-right Alternative for Germany to toughen rules on immigration. It did not pay off.

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How Elon Musk is Using Start-Up Tactics to Disrupt European Politics

The richest man in the world is backing far-right parties against a political establishment that has failed to deliver.

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Who Is Friedrich Merz of Germany?

If polls are correct, Olaf Scholz’s successor could be Friedrich Merz, 69, leader of the Christian Democratic Union. He is offering to get the German economic engine humming again.

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