Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on Germany to look for new trade partners beyond the recently signed US-EU trade deal, which sets a 15% tariff on European goods.
Speaking at the government’s Open Day in Berlin on Sunday, Merz questioned how fair global trade could function if the United States refused to follow World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
“We should search for partners in the world that share our thinking,” said Merz, who leads the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). His remarks come at a time when CDU’s approval rating stands at 25%, the same as the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), according to an INSA poll published in the German newspaper Bild this weekend.
The current trade framework was agreed on July 28 between US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. While Merz acknowledged the importance of maintaining strong economic ties with Washington, he suggested that Germany should also explore fresh opportunities in South America, Asia and Africa. “We must consistently pursue that path,” he added.
Merz also turned his attention to domestic issues, warning that Germany’s social security system needed urgent reforms. He said that welfare spending on employment, pensions and healthcare must be brought under control if the system is to remain sustainable.
“We have to make our social security systems fit for the future,” Merz said, stressing that basic questions about the country’s welfare policies should be settled before the end of the year.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
