Deep Read: Eerie Power - How Dangerous is a Strong Germany?
The Federal Republic will become a military power, thus shifting the balance of power in Europe. This stirs up old fears that were thought to have been overcome - not least because of the AfD.
Paris, Washington, Berlin. When a Chancellor of Germany emphasizes things that seem self-evident, it could be a cliché - or a special message. In any case, it's worth listening carefully. Recently at the Chancellery, this was the case. Friedrich Merz had summoned the most important European partners: French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and the British Keir Starmer, who was still in office at the end of June.
The security of Europe was at stake. In a time when Russia is breaking the peace and the USA is rethinking its role as a protective power, European countries want to demonstrate cohesion. Merz welcomed his guests, then said this one sentence: "Our neighbors should feel safer when Germany becomes stronger." A strong Germany - this had long been demanded by other European states.
A Germany that does not hide behind its Nazi past, but invests in the military protection of the continent. But will this Germany remain trustworthy - or will it fall back into old hegemonic patterns and become a threat to its neighbors again?
Translated by urgent.news. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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