Interview: „Friedrich Merz lernt gerade auf die schmerzhafte Tour drei Dinge“

In a recent interview, Friedrich Merz revealed three crucial lessons he has learned recently. The first lesson comes from the recent Saxe-Anhalt state elections, where no party emerged with a clear majority. Merz noted that this outcome poses a significant democratic setback, as it is unlikely that any party will implement their desired policies following the election.

The essence of democracy, he explained, lies in the need for parties to form coalitions and reach compromises in a pluralistic society. The real issue, according to Merz, would be if a party deemed right-extremist were to appoint the leader of the state government. It is astonishing how casually this democratic structure is now being challenged even among the middle classes.

While reforms are undoubtedly needed, he emphasized that many aspects of Germany are better than often portrayed. Merz called for a measured optimism grounded in knowledge rather than empty promises of political salvation. He then turned his attention to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), questioning whether the party might need to make excessive compromises in the federal government to maintain its visibility.

He firmly stated that the problem is not the compromises themselves but the widespread uncertainty within the CDU about whether compromises could be problematic. Those who treat their own compromises as defeats should not be surprised if voters eventually hold them responsible for it.