• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz marks one year in office facing the biggest crisis with Washington in decades, after President Trump announced 25% tariffs on European auto imports and troop withdrawal from Germany.
  • Merz’s freewheeling communication style and coalition wrangling have overshadowed his reform plans, with polls showing the far-right Alternative for Germany ahead of his conservatives.
  • Despite domestic problems, Merz has strengthened key relationships with France and Poland and secured European influence in the Ukraine war.
  • German carmakers face tariff increases from 15% to 25% on one of their most important export markets.
  • Merz seeks to preserve the US alliance while Germany rebuilds its armed forces and tries to persuade Trump not to turn against Kyiv.

Sources & Links