Germany
Backing for Merz - but the debate continues
Published September 14, 2026
The Chancellor is facing a crucial week. After the election debacle in Saxony-Anhalt, Merz received support in the debate about his person. But criticism of the reforms and of how to deal with the AfD continues to pick up speed.
The Chancellor is facing a crucial week. After the election debacle in Saxony-Anhalt, Merz received support in the debate about his person. But criticism of the reforms and of how to deal with the AfD continues to pick up speed. Even in the Arctic Circle, the internal political debate is not letting go of the Chancellor.
His first trip abroad since the summer break - to the Arctic summit in Finland - falls into a difficult week for Friedrich Merz. After the crashing electoral defeat of the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt, he is under massive pressure in his own ranks. And next weekend, the state elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin are threatened with further inconvenience. At the summit, Merz described the threat to the Arctic as so important for European security that he travelled to Finland despite the debates in Berlin.
He understands the domestic political debate, "but on the other hand, Germany is so closely linked to the fate of the European continent that we cannot separate foreign and security policy from what we discuss at home," he added. As things continue with the Federal Government, Germany also employs international partners. Merz continues to be "absolutely" a reliable partner, said Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo when asked by a journalist. “He's the same chancellor as before." There was also support for the chancellor from Lithuania's president and Latvia's head of government.
Is Merz threatened with the fall of the Chancellor? At least with regard to the debate about a possible chancellor exchange, Union politicians in Berlin also support him. "Yes, I still believe in Friedrich Merz," said deputy Union leader Mathias Middelberg. The debate about the Chancellor was "not only superfluous, but also not the decisive discussion," said the CDU politician on Deutschlandfunk.
Federal Minister for Family Affairs Karin Prien explained that you don't even exchange a chancellor. The problems that the coalition has will not be easily solved with a change at the top, she added in the program Caren Miosga. "I think we would do well to all come down a bit now," said the CDU politician.
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