Merz’ New Year’s speech: “I tell you: We ensure our security. We live in a safe country” | EUROtoday

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) requires confidence regardless of international crises and advocates the implementation of essential reforms for the financial system and the welfare state. “We have it in our own hands to overcome each of these challenges with our own strength,” stated Merz in his first New Year’s speech, in keeping with the textual content of the speech that was distributed upfront. “We are not victims of external circumstances. We are not a pawn of major powers.”

With regard to the battle in Ukraine, threats from Russia and the tougher relationship with the USA, Merz says that he’s conscious that many stay in concern of peace within the face of the unsure world. “I tell you: We ensure our safety. We live in a safe country.” In order for it to remain that manner, the deterrence functionality have to be improved.

Merz highlights the federal authorities’s reforms for, amongst different issues, extra development and is in search of assist for deliberate additional reforms, for instance on the way forward for pensions. Quite just a few stated that it was nonetheless too little and that it wasn’t noticeable but. They can be proper. But he’s sure: “Germany will reap the benefits of the reforms, even if it takes a certain amount of time.”

The Chancellor says: “The year 2026 can be a moment of departure. That is the prospect that I want to open up to you and to all of us.” It might be a 12 months during which Germany and Europe construct on a long time of peace, freedom and prosperity with new energy.

“To do this, we have to trust ourselves, our courage and our drive,” stated Merz, including: “Let’s not listen to the fear mongers and the doom-mongers.”

Further statements from Merz at a look:

Ukraine battle: The Russian assault on Ukraine is barely “part of a plan that is directed against the whole of Europe”. It is a battle “that also directly threatens our freedom and our security.”

Russian menace: “Germany is also affected by sabotage, espionage and cyber attacks every day,” the Chancellor explains his evaluation. At the identical time, Russia is constant its assaults on Ukraine with undiminished severity. “For the fourth year in a row, Ukrainians will celebrate the New Year under the most adverse circumstances – many of them without electricity, in a hail of rockets, in fear for friends and families.”

Transatlantic relationship: “At the same time, our partnership with the United States of America, which has long been the reliable guarantor of our security, is changing,” Merz factors out, referring to the insurance policies of US President Donald Trump. “For us Europeans, this means: We have to defend and assert our interests much more on our own.”

Reform of the welfare state: The Chancellor says that the abolition of residents’ cash, the introduction of a brand new fundamental safety and the selections on pensions should not sufficient. “We will have to adopt fundamental reforms next year so that our social systems remain financially viable in the long term.” The challenges are apparent: Society is getting older, child boomers are actually deservedly retiring. The purpose have to be to pretty stability the considerations of all generations.

Return to protectionism within the international financial system: “Our strategic dependence on uncooked supplies is more and more getting used as a political lever towards our pursuits,” he says. As an export nation, Germany is particularly feeling these geopolitical upheavals. In this situation, the economy’s creativity and creativity are in demand. “But home-made reform backlog paralyzes the potential that our firms have,” says Merz. “It is becoming increasingly difficult for them to compete internationally.”

European policy: According to Merz, the federal government has initiated a policy change at the European level. “We are calling for the European Union to return to its core tasks: freedom, security and prosperity,” says the Chancellor. “We are consistently reducing bureaucracy and putting the promotion of competitiveness at the top of the political priority list.”

Migration policy: At the same time, Merz defends the decisions to reduce irregular migration. “We decide for ourselves again who comes into our country and who has to leave our country,” he says. “We have created new incentives for legal and orderly migration while closing routes for illegal and disorderly migration.” Humanity and order are two sides of the same coin.