Kanzler-Krise: Merz sagt Reise zur UN-Generaldebatte nach New York ab

In light of speculation surrounding a possible leadership change, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has canceled his planned trip to the UN General Debate in New York next week. According to government sources, the chancellor will not be present in Berlin for the week, as his presence in Berlin is deemed necessary. The chancellor's speech at the UN General Debate was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, three days after the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin state elections, which are considered decisive for the chancellor's political future.

Merz has convened a CDU-Präsidium meeting on Sunday evening to discuss the consequences of the election results. The party leadership will meet again on Monday, followed by a CDU/CSU parliamentary group session on Tuesday. Merz did not attend the UN General Debate last year, following his debut as chancellor, when Germany failed to secure a temporary seat on the UN Security Council.

Criticism followed his absence, stating that it would have been helpful for the chancellor's appearance in New York. Merz has not visited the UN headquarters in 16 months of his chancellorship, despite having visited the United States three times. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was informed about the chancellor's decision by government sources.

He has already planned to travel to New York within the framework of the UN General Assembly and will assume parts of the chancellor's program, including delivering the German speech. The lineup of speakers is determined by their protocol rank, with heads of state addressing the assembly first, followed by government leaders, and finally ministers.

Expectations are high for the politically significant week at the United Nations, with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and other world leaders attending. Russia will be represented at the ministerial level, but Chinese President Xi Jinping is not expected in New York.