Brussels is anticipating that Friedrich Merz, the candidate from the victorious CDU-CSU, will bring much-needed stronger leadership and stability to the European stage, which has been absent from Germany. According to France24 correspondent Dave Keating, there is a general agreement that Germany’s presence has been lacking in Brussels’ discussions and on the European stage during Olaf Scholz’s term, leading to confusion regarding Germany’s stance on European issues.

Source: https://www.france24.com/en/video/20250223-brussels-reaction-to-germany-s-election-results