(de-news.net) – During his inaugural address to the German Bundestag, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) articulated his commitment to enhancing Germany’s role within the European framework, throughout his tenure. He affirmed that Germany would implement initiatives designed to reinvigorate the foundational European ideals of liberty and peace, thereby enabling Europe to fulfill both its aspirations and its geopolitical significance. Merz underscored that Europe presently regards Germany as a pivotal actor and harbors distinct expectations. In response, Germany would offer its partners and allies a posture characterized by reliability and predictability, particularly through a foreign and security policy directed towards the consolidation of a robust Europe while remaining anchored in national interests aligned with shared European values.

Merz referenced his immediate diplomatic engagements in Paris and Warsaw following his accession to office, highlighting the symbolic and strategic relevance of these visits. In discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron, he endorsed a comprehensive revitalization of Franco-German relations. Moreover, he emphasized the particular importance that the new federal government would attribute to its relationship with Poland, asserting that Germany’s eastern neighbor would hold a role in European policy commensurate with that of its western counterpart.

Contrasting with the critical rhetoric he had previously employed towards his predecessor Olaf Scholz (SPD), whom he had frequently targeted during his tenure as opposition leader, Merz acknowledged that Scholz and his administration had navigated Germany through periods of profound crisis, in a manner both exemplary and of historical consequence.