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This is John Batchel, a conversation with colleague Judy Dempsey in Berlin, Carnegie

and Domain, International Peace, about the new German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, leading a coalition,

the CDU, along with the Social Democrats.

What Merz has done is impressed everybody with his leadership in foreign affairs, but Judy

points out that the German people appreciate a liked and very well-spoken and careful

chancellor, but they want delivery of

the campaign promises domestically. And it comes to migration. It always comes into migration.

The AFD, the alternative for Dutchland, is a negative party, negative on migrants, negative on the EU,

negative on NATO.

And that is very much on Merz's mind as he turns his attention to the domestic economy.

A strong Germany is a strong EU, and a strong EU is a good ally for the United States in these next years.

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