Friedrich Merz on Maybrit Illner: “The Taurus is being jazzed up to below the nuclear threshold”

The one-on-one talk show interview was tailor-made for Friedrich Merz ( CDU ). He began his first television appearance since being sworn in as Chancellor on ZDF's Maybrit Illner on Thursday evening in a noticeably relaxed manner. The focus is primarily on content; he can present himself in terms of content, demonstrating that he has everything under control. That, as he says of his government at the very end, he is "determined" to "govern this country well."

At the beginning, however, Illner questions precisely this unity within his new coalition government. The numerous contradictory statements from many cabinet members today alone provide her with enough fuel to ask Merz whether the coalition isn't already beginning the way the previous government ended.

There's a "good working atmosphere," Merz replies, appearing calm. One believes him. He insists that the difference lies in the goals and demands jointly defined in the coalition agreement, which form the basis of governing, and that it's perfectly natural that two quite different parties, such as the CDU/CSU and the SPD, naturally put forward their own political demands.

But: "We speak with one voice," Merz says in this context, and will repeat it several more times. Perhaps this is the most important programmatic emphasis for him. In the new coalition, positions are expected to clash, but when it comes down to it, there will be no conflict, is his tenor.

“But Mrs. Illner,” exclaims Merz

When it comes to foreign policy, which played a major role in the first days of Merz's term, he also promises a united voice. This time, he means the most important European countries: France, Poland, Great Britain, and Germany – as a "coalition of the willing" that wants to stand united in supporting Ukraine, and with whose heads of government he already traveled to Kyiv in the first week.

However, he explains that the goal of his diplomatic initiative was not to bring about an immediate peace agreement, but to unite Europe. Furthermore, involving the Americans in the diplomatic process is a priority for him. When Illner asks him about the contradiction between European sanctions and simultaneous oil and gas imports from Russia , he exclaims: "But Ms. Illner, that's the nature of such a complex process!"

Merz argues that major wars throughout history have usually ended due to military exhaustion and not solely due to diplomatic mediation. The extent to which the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles, as Merz explicitly called for just a few months ago, could help Ukraine force Russia into serious peace talks is not addressed.

The CDU chancellor no longer wants to have this discussion in public. He argues that this would be to Germany's strategic disadvantage. And anyway: "The Taurus is being hyped up to below the nuclear threshold." Cruise missiles from Great Britain or France would do the same.

Despite all the calls for unity and desires for closer ties with America, Merz again expressed his irritation at the speech by American Vice President J.D. Vance at the Munich Security Conference shortly before the federal election. He said he was completely surprised by it and considered it "intrusive." An American vice president, he said, had no business explaining the state of Germany's democracy. An investigation by the Berliner Zeitung had revealed that Vance's speech apparently deeply impressed many coalition partners, which is why the so-called "ban on lying" was included in the coalition agreement.

Then a key sentence of Merz's foreign policy is uttered: "We must now pursue our interests." Merz had already emphasized the importance of German interests as the guiding principle of his foreign policy during a programmatic "foreign policy keynote speech" before the election.

Migration policy: Where is the exceptional situation?

The second significant issue of the CDU/CSU election campaign was migration. Merz told Illner that he didn't even have to give his CSU Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt any instructions to order increased border controls and rejections – including for asylum seekers – on his first day in office. When asked about the national emergency, which would have to be used in potential court proceedings to legitimize these measures, Merz dismissed the concept, saying there are "different opinions" about this term.

And anyway, the current measures are only intended for a "transitional period" until the European solution in the form of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) is implemented. During this time, the main goal is to "bring the numbers down." When asked by Maybrit Illner what the current exceptional situation is, given that migration numbers had already fallen during the traffic light coalition government, Merz had no concrete answer.

Migration policy is almost a welcome topic after a week in government, as very concrete measures have been implemented. In stark contrast to economic policy, which is laden with equally high expectations – most observers agree that Germany is in a structural crisis. Merz's answers are therefore largely limited to repeating the measures enshrined in the coalition agreement or even already passed in the Bundestag. Such as write-offs for corporate investments and debt-financed infrastructure investments.

"500 billion euros – that sounds like a lot at first," he says of the enormous debt package that the conservative-red coalition pushed through under pressure before the current Bundestag was established. However, the spending is spread over several years and should be supplemented by private investment. Above all, the promise remains: "Germany will once again become an attractive investment location."

Pension: Once again the principle of hope

But how does this help citizens with low and middle incomes? "What are you doing for ordinary people?" asks Maybrit Illner. Merz responds that a comprehensive reform of the social and pension systems is necessary for them. Contributions are rising, but the systems are becoming increasingly dysfunctional. However, such a structural reform is not included in the coalition agreement; instead, discussions have been referred to various committees.

Merz explains that he had wanted to prepare the issue calmly before the election. However, it was too big to rush into it at such an early stage. Once again, the principle of hope. The program concludes with questions about the non-cooperation with the AfD and the Left Party, which Merz continues to insist on. Regarding climate change, he simply says that he wants to combat it "non-ideologically."

Merz's most frequent expression is ultimately his desire to speak with "one voice." Will he become a consensus chancellor? So far, it doesn't look like that. But at least in Illner's studio, his wish comes true: the moderator repeatedly repeats his sentences, completing them. "Process," he concludes at one point, "Process?" she repeats at the same moment. One might think that Illner and Merz are speaking with one voice, at least briefly, this evening.