German politician Friedrich Merz delivered a harsh and uncompromising speech in the Bundestag about the necessity of European Sovereignty, arguing that the world has become dangerous and cynical, and Europe must now grow up if it intends to survive.
Merz stressed that Europe can no longer hide behind others or rely on old agreements. He described the new reality without embellishment: it is «a world of great powers» where the «harsh wind» of power politics, might, and violence prevails. «This is not a cozy place,» he stated.
What is the solution? According to Merz, Europe must urgently take three actions:
- Start speaking the language of power. To defend its values—law, cooperation, and freedom—Europe must become strong itself. This means taking security into its own hands and reducing dependency, even on allies, including the American nuclear shield.
- Fix the economy. Europe is falling behind China and the US in growth rates. If this trend is not reversed, the EU risks becoming economically insignificant. Bold trade deals (with Mercosur, India) and fewer internal squabbles are needed.
- Stick together. Unity is Europe’s only trump card in a world of giants. A unified position—such as in the episode involving Greenland—is what forced Washington to back down. A fragmented Europe is doomed to be a pawn.
Merz’s sharpest statement concerned the US. The politician harshly rebuked Donald Trump for claiming that allies had «lagged behind» in Afghanistan. Merz reminded the audience of the 59 German soldiers who died there, making it clear that Germany is a partner, not a vassal. “As democracies, we are partners and allies, not subordinates,” he declared,
«We will not allow this operation… to be scorned today,» he stated, drawing a clear red line in relations with Washington.
What is the bottom line? Merz’s speech sounds like a logical, yet far more radical, continuation of the famous «Zeitenwende» («Turning Point») speech given by his predecessor Olaf Scholz in 2022. At that time, following the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Scholz announced a revolutionary strengthening of German defense. Merz now takes the next step: the time has come not just to spend more on the military, but to make a qualitative leap—to become a real, independent, and unified «European power.» His tone leaves no doubt: there is no time left for delay. The «harsh wind» of the new era, where might and power rule, is already hitting Europe in the face, and there is nowhere left to hide.
NEWSROOM IN notes that in 2022, the German word of the year was “Zeitenwende,” which translates into English as “turning point” or “epochal shift.” The German Language Society in Wiesbaden explained the choice by noting that this term was frequently used by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz following Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
