There is no new government in Germany yet, but after the election on Sunday, it is almost certain that Friedrich Merz of the conservative Christian Democratic Union will be the next chancellor. Along with the CDU and its sister party in Bavaria, the CSU, Merz will have to find coalition partners to govern.

Following the election, one of the main discussion points has been how Germany and Europe will deal with US President Donald Trump.

After the victory of his party in the election was confirmed on Sunday night, Merz said that he wanted to work on creating unity in Europe as quickly as possible, “so that, step by step, we can achieve independence from the US.”

Germany’s likely chancellor-to-be is not fond of the anti-NATO attitude of the new US president and his administration’s distancing from the US’ European allies, seemingly in favor of Russia.

Republican Ronald Reagan, one of Merz’s idols, was US president from 1981 to 1989.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/trump-merz-and-the-future-of-the-us-german-friendship/a-71762866?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf