Can Germany’s next chancellor help Europe deal with Trump?

EU Confidential

POLITICO

Politics, News Commentary, News

4.4 • 175 Ratings

🗓️ 28 February 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Germany has voted, and Friedrich Merz is now the chancellor-in-waiting. But can he rise to the occasion? With Donald Trump signaling a retreat from Europe and cozying up to Vladimir Putin, the continent faces its biggest security challenge in decades. Will Merz shake off Germany’s long-standing hesitation and step up? Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by James Angelos, POLITICO’s news editor in Berlin; Jana Puglierin, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations; and Nick Vinocur, POLITICO’s editor-at-large, to break down what the election results mean for Berlin, Brussels and beyond. We explore Merz’s complicated relationship with Ursula von der Leyen, his challenge in forming a coalition, and whether his hardline stance on migration will help or hurt him as he faces the surging far-right AfD, which came second in the election — a historic result that cements them as Germany’s biggest opposition party. Plus, we take you to Antwerp, where the European Commission unveiled its Clean Industrial Deal — a plan to keep Europe’s industries green and competitive. Sarah traveled there to speak with Wopke Hoekstra, the EU’s Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth, and caught up with Belgium’s new Prime Minister Bart De Wever ahead of the upcoming emergency EU summit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Ready to launch your business? Get started with the commerce platform made for entrepreneurs.
0:04.8	Shopify is specially designed to help you start, run and grow your business with easy customizable themes that let you build your brand.
0:12.5	Marketing tools that get your products out there. Integrated shipping solutions that actually save you time.
0:17.5	From startups to scaleups, online-person, and on the go.
0:22.0	Shopify is made for entrepreneurs like you.
0:24.5	Sign up for your $1 a month trial at Shopify.com slash setup.
0:33.8	Thank you for the trust for us and that they also me personally give.
0:39.4	I know about the responsibility.
0:43.3	That's Friedrich Meertz,
0:45.2	thanking his supporters for his Christian Democratic Party's victory
0:48.2	in an election that could reshape the future of not just Germany,
0:51.9	but also Europe.
0:53.4	That we in Europe that we're in Europe, that on the world were going to be. the future of not just Germany, but also Europe.
1:00.0	Because here's the thing.
1:05.5	Merz is soaking up the applause, but he's set to become German Chancellor under incredibly difficult circumstances.
1:08.3	Indeed, Sparer thought for Meritz, a lifelong fan of the transatlantic relationship who just might be overseeing its disintegration.
1:16.5	And his election victory was hardly a ringing endorsement from the public.
1:21.2	His center-right CDU will have to form a coalition with the Social Democrats, despite their worst result in history, and govern from
1:29.1	the mushy middle in the face of growing support for parties on the far left and, especially,
1:34.4	the far right. The alternative for Germany and its leader Alice Vidal didn't just gain ground.
1:41.0	They made history, winning all five former East German states and becoming the biggest
1:46.4	opposition party.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from POLITICO, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of POLITICO and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.