Mariam Lau | Friedrich Merz: ein Kanzler im Jammertal (NZZ Standpunkte 2026)

After years of economic stagnation, Friedrich Merz set out to lead Germany back to success. But now the Chancellor himself seems to be in a rut. Political journalist and CDU expert Mariam Lau explains why the Federal Republic is stuck – and what that has to do with Merz. For several years now, Germany seems to have been stumbling from one crisis to the next. New challenges arise before the old ones have been overcome. The coronavirus pandemic, for example, has left behind a widespread feeling of insecurity. The same is true for the war in Ukraine. It has profoundly shaken the cherished European security order. Added to this are the weakness of the political center and the stagnation of the economy. There is now talk of widespread deindustrialization. After the collapse of the traffic light coalition, Friedrich Merz became Chancellor of the Federal Republic a year ago. The CDU politician promised a change of direction during the election campaign, convinced many voters with clear statements, and spoke of an autumn of reforms and a return to greater government austerity. A year later, little of that seems to remain. The reform plans have largely stalled, and the special fund for the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) is placing an additional burden on the budget. In short, the mood in the country seems to be at an all-time low. Many are struggling with the contrast between Merz's blunt pronouncements and the perceived stagnation. Why can't Germany get moving? Is it the Chancellor, his party, the coalition with the SPD (Social Democratic Party), or rather the country's deep-seated structural problems? One thing is certain: the challenges are immense – and the times are turbulent. Germany, like the world, is facing a wave of new opportunities and risks, such as developments in artificial intelligence, the aging population, and climate change. At the same time, homegrown problems are narrowing the room for maneuver. And now it remains to be seen whether Friedrich Merz is up to the task of putting Germany back on the road to success. Mariam Lau is the Berlin correspondent for the newspaper "Die Welt," a long-time expert on the CDU/CSU (Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union), and a Merz biographer. What is certain is that the challenges are immense – and the times are turbulent. Broadcast from May 31, 2026 ► Subscribe to our YouTube channel and activate notifications so you don't miss any videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/NZZStandpun... ► Find the latest Standpoints broadcasts in full here: https://www.nzz.ch/video/nzz-standpunkte ► Find more explainer videos and documentaries from the Neue Zürcher Zeitung here: https://www.nzz.ch/video