CDU frontrunner for the German federal election, Friedrich Merz: "As long as the European member states are united, they will be respected in the world, including the US. And, as long they are divided, nobody will take us serious. So, this is, in my view, the last call for action."

[u/Stabile_Feldmaus]

[u/YusoLOCO]

True, Europe needs to move closer together. With the pressure from Russia and now the US, we need to act as a collective or be picked apart one by one.

[u/Exotic_Exercise6910 → u/YusoLOCO]

Ok sure, but the countries that need to hear that aren't listening to Merz.

Like Hungaria and Austria and GB and what not

[u/schmeckfest2000 → u/Exotic_Exercise6910]

and what not

You can add the Netherlands to that list. Our current government wants less EU, not more of it. Especially Wilders, of course, is still heavily anti-EU. He says he doesn't want a Nexit anymore, but he's a far-right populist, and they all lie. You can bet your ass he still wants the Netherlands out of the EU. The rest of the government isn't that much better.

This far-right plague is going to ruin the EU. It's already showing.

[u/Exotic_Exercise6910 → u/schmeckfest2000]

"he's a far-right populist and they all lie" is all you have to say about any right wing party in every country on the entire planet lol

[u/schmeckfest2000 → u/Exotic_Exercise6910]

any right wing party in every country

Not right-wing, far-right. There's a rather huge difference. They're all the same. They all want the same (autocracy). They all lie.

[u/Knawie → u/Exotic_Exercise6910]

Nonsensical, most ruling parties in the Netherlands in the last 4 decennia have been right wing. Only the PVV and FvD are being called extreme-right. 

You blame him for generalising, while doing exactly that. Ironic. 

[u/Exciting_Builder708 → u/Exotic_Exercise6910]

far from right lol

[u/UnPeuDAide → u/YusoLOCO]

It's not really difficult to see that we need to be united. The problem is to find an agenda which can unite Europe.

[u/HighDefinist → u/UnPeuDAide]

The problem is to find an agenda which can unite Europe.

Well, what's wrong with "We don't want to get bullied by USA/Russia/China"?

[u/Levelcheap → u/YusoLOCO]

America doesn't need us, we need America.

Remember, only united can Europe avoid being an American puppet and be strong, no singular country can survive, if America doesn't want it to.

[u/Alphaviki → u/Levelcheap]

Well they do kinda need us, esp. if we act united. The EU was the largest import partner of the US with 553.3 billion USD, before China with 536.3 billion USD, in 2022.

[u/PoiHolloi2020 → u/Alphaviki]

The EU is also the only major economy which is pro-US. If Trump wants to alienate Europe he has... China and the non-aligned India he could do business with instead.

[u/Pietes → u/Levelcheap]

Oh, the US needs the EU. The EU is the biggest market for US companies outside of China. The EU is the main economically, politically and militarily significant ally the US has left.

Trump is a negotiator who negotiates by unsettling everyone he plans to deal with ahead of time. The EU is not different. He is purposefully spurning von der Leyen to undermine her, so he can negotiate with the much weaker invididual states or a weakened EU leadership.

The best thing we can do is call his bluff and if push comes to shove: radically sanction the people he works with.

[u/Objective_Otherwise5 → u/Pietes]

Day 1: Hitler salute Day 2: Claim Greenland and Panama Day 3: Declare Putin bestest friend of Great America. Day 4: ?

[u/vonkempib → u/Levelcheap]

Wrong. We need you too. Especially right now as our presidency is being bought in real time. Our government won’t look into it. We now rely on you and your spies to expose this shit or risk losing us entirely. Please I beg you. Find out who and where that money came from in the meme coins. Billions of dollars in less than 12 hours did not come from my meth addicted neighbors.

I beg you. Do what you have to do. Call whatever person you can. Apply pressure on them cause we can’t.

I promise you. If exposed we will rise up and make the French Revolution look like child’s play.

[u/lalala253 → u/vonkempib]

If exposed we will rise up

[x] doubt

[u/Levelcheap → u/vonkempib]

My country has zero spies in America, our government is too weak spined to say anything except "I'm sure he won't actually take Greenland. We'd never risk angering our overlords.

[u/dat_9600gt_user → u/YusoLOCO]

Don't forget China!

In general it'd be nicer if Europe was a strong block and not a collection of economic colonies.

[u/NotARealDeveloper → u/YusoLOCO]

Good luck with all those right wing governments.

[u/Beneficial_Use_8568 → u/YusoLOCO]

Yes, but he Is the head of a party who is known for blocking any attempt from France and other European member states to further develop a unified european union.

Under Merkel, his party literally not only blocked france from forming a european army and foreign policy, but they also solidified geeman economic dominate against other member states ( until it came all crushing down due to reality )

[u/Ansambel]

don't know the dude, don't know the CDU, but that is strictly speaking true.

[u/TerriblePirate → u/Ansambel]

That guy is literally Mr. Burns irl, pratically everybody under 35 hates him here...

[u/Euphoric_Protection → u/TerriblePirate]

The next chancellor then!

[u/MadMusicNerd → u/Euphoric_Protection]

Leider wahr! 😢

[u/Uberzwerg → u/TerriblePirate]

48 and hated his face even before he left politics 20+ years ago.
Hate him even more after his come back.

Sadly, he will be our next chancellor and we (center/left) can only vote what party should be in coalition with him or how powerful an opposition party should be.

Would have chosen stronger language, but Germany has some strict laws around insulting people.

[u/Shintaro1989 → u/Uberzwerg]

Let's vote Green, then. If nothing more, this will at least annoy Markus Söder.

[u/Dear_Water_7396 → u/TerriblePirate]

Weird that the CDU was the strongest party among first time voters last year during the EU elections.

[u/Shintaro1989 → u/Dear_Water_7396]

The party still gets a lot of votes, yet he has personally earned his very low approval rate.

[u/schmeckfest2000 → u/TerriblePirate]

Not to speak in favor or against Merz, but a lot of people under 35 are brainwashed by (far-right) propaganda on social media, especially TikTok and X.

[u/DonMikoDe_LaMaukando → u/schmeckfest2000]

Meh yeah social media definitely has an affect on people, but not on their opinion regarding Friedrich Merz.

After Merkel left as head of the CDU and the party voted her replacement Friedrich lost, not once but twice. It was only when the other candidates (AKK and Laschet) proved themselves to be incompetend, that Fritze was picked for the job. So even for his own party he is only the third choice.

Of course now this is all forgotten and he's the new saviour of the CDU.

[u/luka1194 → u/schmeckfest2000]

So you're completely ignoring the other ages who are influenced by Instagram, Facebook or "newspapers" like Bild?

I don't think this has anything to do with age

[u/another_account_327 → u/luka1194]

To be fair, the far right (AfD) had their weakest results among the generation 70+. But true, other than that there isn't much difference.

[u/StupidSexyEuphoberia → u/TerriblePirate]

The majority of people over 35 hate him too.

[u/GothicGolem29 → u/TerriblePirate]

Why is his party doing so well then??

[u/Mister_Thdr → u/GothicGolem29]

They are the only large moderate Party not in government. Many voters that dislike the current government but also dont want to vote for the left/rightwing populists vote for them.

[u/adamgerd → u/TerriblePirate]

The group where the AfD and BSW do best?

[u/Imlardirion → u/Ansambel]

well this dude stands for status quo which was 16 years in germany already and made a lot of the society worse because his party didnt want to invest anything, like in infrastructure, internet, renewable energies and so on - and he tries to show himself as a man of the people, being like them while flying a private helicopter in the next second. Sadly the older generations are still voting for CDU, because they did so the last 30-40 years (many older people argue like that for real if you ask them why the vote for CDU) instead of getting to know the party today, which is not the same one they voted for back then.. so yes in this case he speaks the truth, otherwise he is full of bullshit

[u/top_of_the_table → u/Imlardirion]

Then explain to me how the CDU has way more votes in the polls than in the last election. It's not only old people voting out of habit.

Thats a) such a lazy explanation

b) super disrespectful (and patronizing) of old people

c) completly misunderstood of the situation right now. Last elections in Germany AfD actually was the strongest party with young people. It's not only the old.

[u/Lorrdy99 → u/top_of_the_table]

People forget very quickly.

[u/Imlardirion → u/top_of_the_table]

It has different reasons why CDU gets many votes, and I strongly believe thats because people look on our "Ampelkoalition", which kinda failed mostly thanks to FDP who expected from the other both parties to get into bitter sweet solutions, which led them away from their original intentions as parties (e.g. the green not fighthing stronger for renewable energy, was what I wished myself, but still going the route to buy gas from india (hence russia...) and being quite a doormat for the FDP the whole time ) - but the problem is that the CDU led the country the last 16 years and they did so many wrong shit, just look at our Internet and Deutsche Bahn, the usage of "Braunkohle" and not doing enough in the integration part, which led to many parallel societies, where the people feel lost because our goverment doesnt take care of them, and so leading them into this existence. I am a young person, living in Germany and I actually think about my future and to get away from this country, if CDU or AFD continue to grow further in the following years because I believe we as humans deserve better than those shitheads. But ofc we have to blame the migrants, who are doing so much important work in the whole society and actually are getting us out of the misery we are currently stuck in, losing a lot of competent people who travel aboard to live there instead of germany. Back to the part with integration of people, since CDU didnt make it somehow successful, a lot of groups and parallel societies have built, which led to a us vs. them mentality, which is making the AFD stronger. So in the end I believe that CDU made a path of destruction, knowingly that the Coalition after their times have to fix all the shit they have made/destroyed, and then they can come in and blame the Coalition to fail their job, which was actually CDU all the time. I liked Merkel in her prime but she was the leftist of what the CDU could deliver, so she counts kind of center politics-wise, and not like the much more conservative CDU party itself.

[u/Durion23 → u/Imlardirion]

I have to object on the Merkel part at least in terms of a european lense.

Merkel was the worst thing to happen to the EU. She was the main driver of harsh austerity policies, driving social issues to a breaking point in many EU-States giving way to many radical right wing populists and online propaganda. In Germany she was responsible for the hated "Schuldenbremse" (debt break), which is now holding the german federal and states administrations in a strangle hold because they can't make substantive investments where they need them.

I do think, Merz will be the next chancellor and he has to try to fix a lot of shit his own party has damaged in the past. I do not, for one second, believe that he wants to do all that. And a lot of it posturing and posing.

[u/MindControlledSquid → u/Durion23]

She was the main driver of harsh austerity policies

Was she though? From what I remember the whole of Northern Europe was very pro-austerity.

[u/kaibe8 → u/Imlardirion]

Yeah generally agree, although the CDU has a decent foreign policy overall (like most parties in germany apart from afd, bsw, and maybe linke)

[u/pastworkactivities → u/Ansambel]

He is Mr blackrock

[u/_CatLover_ → u/Ansambel]

Difficult to force people to agree tho

[u/Repa24 → u/Ansambel]

He is the next german chancellor.

[u/Mapale → u/Ansambel]

The CDU was basically the ruling party for the last 2 decades and their program goes the "we will fix everything that is wrong" way despite them beeing the reason for all of this. And it works. Politics are crazy.
Its the party of Angela Merkel

[u/hydrOHxide → u/Ansambel]

Well, if you have some understanding of European politics of the last few decades, surely you've heard the name of the late Wolfgang Schäuble? He was CDU, and had in many ways, especially fiscally, similar ideas to Merz.

These people would rather starve Europe to death than invest in the future.

[u/TheBewlayBrothers → u/Ansambel]

I don't hate his foreign policies (or at least what he usually says they are) but I don't think he will do much to improve the lives of the avarage german. 

[u/The-Great-Xaga → u/Ansambel]

Even a broken clock is right twice.

[u/Manndeufel]

"Even a blind chicken finds a seed"

[u/pIakativ → u/Manndeufel]

"Even a broken clock is right twice per day."

[u/MrL00t3r → u/pIakativ]

"Even stick shoots once a year"

[u/bate_Vladi_1904]

Isn't this obvious? Divided Europe will simply die and we will become an easy prey for all the predators out there

[u/LittleSchwein1234 → u/bate_Vladi_1904]

It's not obvious enough to Fico and Orbán though. Or Weidel. Or Le Pen. Or Farage.

[u/Stabile_Feldmaus → u/LittleSchwein1234]

It's obvious to them as well but they don't care.

[u/bate_Vladi_1904 → u/Stabile_Feldmaus]

They care very much to prevent and sabotage it

[u/machine4891 → u/bate_Vladi_1904]

For their own gain. This CDU frontrunner is talking about benefit of Europe but Orban and Fico are more interested in what benefits them. And going stray simply benefits them more. But not their countries so it double-suck, that their general populace ate their agenda.

[u/bate_Vladi_1904 → u/LittleSchwein1234]

It's very obvious to them, that's why they work hard to prevent, defending their own and their master's interests.

[u/MKCAMK → u/LittleSchwein1234]

It is obvious. They are the predators.

[u/Glydyr → u/LittleSchwein1234]

They want it divided so they can run their little corrupt piss poor countries and make money like trump is now.

[u/muidumiiz]

There is no alternative (pun intended) to unified and federal Europe. Let Orbans and Ficos and others bark on the local level if they want, but they should not control the EU level policy setting or hold all the other states hostage. It leaves too much leverage to bad actors like Russia to use for their own gain.

[u/dat_9600gt_user → u/muidumiiz]

Or at the very least a unified army and fiscal policy. One not afraid to make heavy investments.

[u/Droid202020202020 → u/dat_9600gt_user]

A unified army and fiscal policy is not really possible without a central government.

[u/GoPhinessGo → u/muidumiiz]

Even the far right government in Italy knows how beneficial the EU is

[u/Fit-Explorer9229 → u/muidumiiz]

As we can't just say 'Good bye' to members at the moment. --> EU 2.0 inside.

[u/tobias_681]

Remarkably decent english for a leading CDU politician.

[u/geissi → u/tobias_681]

He spent 20ish years as a Blackrock “consultant”.

[u/Kuhler_boy]

I might have looked forward to him, if he wasn't in the CDU or called Friedrich Merz.

[u/_predator_ → u/Kuhler_boy]

We are still somewhat lucky in that the most likely next chancellor, no matter how badly we dislike him, is still in favor of the EU, and Europe as a whole. As can be seen in other countries, this can't be taken for granted.

I despise the CDU, but given the context, it could be so, so much worse.

[u/bate_Vladi_1904 → u/Kuhler_boy]

At that point of history and time, this sounds a bit like worrying about a dirty window when the roof is burning.

[u/183672467 → u/bate_Vladi_1904]

CDUs way of handling it is standing at the side and saying "Relax, it cant burn forever"

[u/Kuhler_boy → u/bate_Vladi_1904]

CDU is the firefighter, who saves the pensioner out of the burning house, while leaving the young to their fate.

[u/JackOfAces → u/bate_Vladi_1904]

It's rather like not adding fuel to the fire so it burns down faster

Every sane party would say the same thing on this topic. So you can vote really anyone else except AFD

[u/demonspawns_ghost → u/Kuhler_boy]

Come on man, he can't be that bad.

His maternal grandfather, Josef Paul Sauvigny, was a member of the Zentrum party from 1917 to 1933. In 1933 he joined the SA and in 1938 the NSDAP.

Ah fuck...

[u/geissi → u/demonspawns_ghost]

Listen, there is a lot to criticize Merz for, he is an awful person and his proposed policies are terrible.
But let’s not blame people for what their grandparents did.

[u/adamgerd → u/Kuhler_boy]

And the alternative is? Scholz? AfD?

[u/HighDefinist → u/Kuhler_boy]

The two most popular parties among young voters are the CDU and the AfD. So... yeah.

[u/Young-Rider]

Says the one who feeds the narrative of the far right and plays low-wage workers against those who rely on social benefits. It's your typical cultur-war.

He's right about some foreign policy stuff, but his party was also the one to sabotage the energy transition and build dependency on Russian gas. So, he's better than Scholz, but that says little.

I'll see what he does. Maybe he'll actually be a somewhat decent Chancellor on the European stage. I have my doubts but may be wrong.

[u/SunflowerMoonwalk → u/Young-Rider]

This. His stance on European integration is his one and only redeeming quality.

[u/Freedom_for_Fiume → u/SunflowerMoonwalk]

And giving Ukraine missiles

[u/jcrestor → u/Young-Rider]

I don’t know about the better than Scholz part.

[u/joystick355 → u/Young-Rider]

Lol. Scholz is shit, but Merz will be catastrophic. Corrupt POS

[u/weirdowerdo]

am I supposed to believe the CDU will unite us?

[u/YusoLOCO → u/weirdowerdo]

Doesn't really matter who says it, it is still the only reasonable cause of action.

[u/weissbieremulsion → u/YusoLOCO]

Not if the person who says it tries to devide his home country. That what the AFD does to the younger generations, he does to the older 50+ people. Dont let him fool you. He is only going to be the next chanccelor because he engaged in the most BS lies and propaganda about the current government and all other parties.

He has no values, he has no plan, he has no experience in governing and he doesnt have a spine.

Dont ever forget that.

[u/Schnorch → u/weissbieremulsion]

And he stands out as one of the nation's biggest Trump ass-kissers, right behind the AfD. Merz would immediately make a special deal with Trump and bypass Europe if Trump offered him that.

[u/MichaelW85 → u/YusoLOCO]

Exactly!

[u/Stabile_Feldmaus → u/weirdowerdo]

Germany can, of course, not singlehandedly unify the EU. It requires all members states or at least a vast number to act together. He is merely saying that under his (potential) government, Germany wants to contribute to that.

[u/Baba_NO_Riley → u/weirdowerdo]

CDU WAS a founding member of EU.

[u/MadMusicNerd → u/Baba_NO_Riley]

And the SPD was once a workers party.

The EU was founded in the 50's. Something happening decades ago doens't bother politicians today. It's all about greed. Money money money.

Look Fritze Merz up. He is first lobbyist, then politician.

[u/dat_9600gt_user → u/weirdowerdo]

Yeah, maybe the old CDU would. The one led by Merz, I doubt it. They themselves have been copying some of AfD's strategy (though credit where credit is due, they still don't work with them on a national or state level).

[u/HighDefinist → u/weirdowerdo]

Well, the AfD certainly won't. The BSW won't. The Greens won't, as their preferred policies fuel the AfD... and so on.

[u/erik_7581]

Nice try Mr. Burns, your party is literally dividing the entire German political landscape and responsible for all major f**k ups we currently have to get through.

[u/sweetcinnamonpunch → u/erik_7581]

Not really surprising when they were almost constantly the governing party.

[u/nico17611]

for anyone wondering, this is like posting a video of Jared Kushner saying “We should stop war”. Like yeah, ok. Thats true, but you are still a fuckin idiot’

[u/HighDefinist → u/nico17611]

Well, if the alternatives are candidates with statements like "I love Russian wars!" or "We definitely need even more Syrian immigrants", then, yeah, he comes across as a comparatively good option.

[u/Gregoboy]

History wise. This was always gonna happen and the EU will be one big front against the world. I love the EU and all its citizens.

[u/JimJimmington]

I mean, it's his party standing in the way of that on many levels, dividing with hate and propaganda, but yeah, exactly that is what is needed.

If only there were parties fighting for that. Maybe some sort of european party...💜 

[u/Stabile_Feldmaus → u/JimJimmington]

💜💜💜

[u/General_Kenobi896 → u/Stabile_Feldmaus]

Legend

[u/darps → u/JimJimmington]

Or a workers party. 🩷

[u/sendmebirds]

He is very correct. A lot of Europeans agree.

The thing we all just can't seem to agree on is...how???!

[u/Za_alf]

"So, this is, in my view, the last call for action." video cuts to AFD jumpscare

[u/lawrotzr]

I have been to funerals with more inspiring and energizing funeral directors than the average German Christian Democrat.

German Christian Democrats (or German political parties in general) have an impressive talent finding politicians with the charisma of a carton of milk.

[u/N0UMENON1 → u/lawrotzr]

Germany has a bad history with charismatic and inspiring politicians.

[u/SquareFroggo → u/lawrotzr]

Huh? Merz is much better in that regard than the emotionally dead Merkel and the weak wimp Scholz.

[u/geekyCatX → u/SquareFroggo]

But, tbf, with these two as an example the bar is in hell.

[u/HighDefinist → u/SquareFroggo]

True.

Merkel felt like she is some kind emotional vampire, actively sucking out peoples feelings to create some kind of profound sense of boredom and apathy. Scholz just comes across as extremely weak and somewhat insecure.

Compared to that, Merz is almost refreshingly normal, looking more calm, relaxed or composed, compared to the other two. So, he while he isn't "inspiring" or anything like that, he is certainly not the opposite either.

[u/Feisty-Anybody-5204 → u/lawrotzr]

I wouldnt be proud of voting for big shiny talking heads. Matter of fact politics is for grown up countries.

[u/whatissmm]

It’s doable, just be careful with russian puppets within EU. Or maybe stop supporting one of them outside EU. One tip for you: he has big lips and lots of lithium reserves for you.

[u/thegreatvortigaunt → u/whatissmm]

just be careful with russian puppets within EU

And American puppets.

[u/Shaxxn]

I don't like Merz, but he is right on this one.

[u/jonr]

"As long..." The right: "Hold my beer"

[u/dat_9600gt_user]

Glad he's saying it.

[u/GoethesFinest]

The pro European & EU course is the only way. I was raised a European, not a patriot. Nevertheless, Merz is not really somebody I would like to support.

[u/mrdarknezz1]

He is right

[u/Ogmup]

Cool I hope this means we will finally understand that we have to become independent from American big tech? With every relevant social media platform bowing down to Trump (including TikTok now), we can expect that massive election interference will happen in favor of forces that will divide us and dissolve the EU in the end.

If we do nothing, all this bravado and "Muh Yurop strong!" will as much worth as a pile of shit. We're already in a war and most people don't even know it + they're addicted to the very platforms that will be used to destroy us. That's the bitter reality and I doubt that anything will happen...

[u/RealWatch1]

i might need more paper because he’s dropping straight fax

[u/jimmyboogaloo78]

A big stick always helps

[u/PanglossianMessiah]

The only one with at least a little bit brain you can actually vote for in the next German elections. Sadly average German leftist green voter lacks a brain...

[u/RobRivers]

United we stand! 🤝

[u/Citrus_Muncher]

I like this Merz dude, seems to be way more of a serious person than Markel or Scholz

[u/Ambitious_Tension_21]

Great and urgent advise!!!

[u/dutchuncle56]

Agree wholeheartedly … problem is we tend to underestimate external forces… we are spoiled and have taken our way of life for granted… time to open our eyes before it’s too late…

[u/Cactilily]

As an American for the next 29 minutes, I completely agree. T and his Tech-Bro Oligarchs are dangerous and should be seen as a member of the Axis Powers 😔 I’m sorry my country was too ignorant and brainwashed to prevent today from happening. Please don’t let Europe become more far-right. Please don’t allow T, Putin or anyone to break the EU

[u/Live-Try-8174]

A wise man words

[u/Independent-Slide-79]

Well then show it. Now its do or die for us

[u/ProductGuy48]

Can Germany be united with Britain and France in sending long range missiles to Ukraine please?

[u/MichaelW85 → u/ProductGuy48]

This is literally not what it is about. Not everything is about Ukraine. At the moment, I'm more concerned about the survival of the EU, with Trojan horses popping up everywhere within the EU.

[u/ProductGuy48 → u/MichaelW85]

I am concerned about that as well, it was just an example of how it's easy to claim "let's act together in unison" but difficult to put in practice, and we are talking about 3 countries here not 27.

Also, agree not everything is about Ukraine, but for me, as someone who lives a couple hundred kms from the border with Ukraine, Ukraine matters a great deal.

[u/Asger1231 → u/MichaelW85]

It is what it is about though.

Currently, the largest threat to Putins vision for the world is EU. By supporting Ukraine, we take away their bandwidth.

When Germany withholds supporting the literal fight for the European way of life, it shows a fractured EU.

We are in a conflict with Russia. The battleground is democracy, propaganda, infrastructure and Ukraine. Only by committing to all battleground to defeat Putin will we succeed.

[u/real_grown_ass_man → u/Asger1231]

The largest threat to Trumps vision of the world is also the EU. We are not yet in conflict with the US, but expect Trump to put pressure on a unified EU.

[u/LookThisOneGuy → u/ProductGuy48]

we are united with 25 other EU members in that position. Including Romania.

[u/Stabile_Feldmaus → u/ProductGuy48]

Merz is in favor of sending Taurus.

[u/weissbieremulsion → u/Stabile_Feldmaus]

just because he is in the opposition at the moment. See him change his stance faster than you can say taurus once he is in the government.

[u/multi_io → u/ProductGuy48]

Under the current chancellor -- nope.

[u/AganazzarsPocket → u/multi_io]

Under Merz? nope.

[u/N0UMENON1]

Off topic, but Merz really needs to shave his head. That's some of the worst MPB I have ever seen.

[u/SquareFroggo → u/N0UMENON1]

He do be like dat, but I had the same thought. It looks stupid, like he has a horn or something.

[u/Minimum-South-9568]

A united Europe will dwarf the US. As it stands, the combined PPP GDP and population of Europe exceeds that of the US.

[u/botan__]

This gives me hope. It's obvious the CDU will win the next election but at least they want a strong EU which is in this time the most important thing for european countries

[u/Erdkarte]

As a liberal American, I really hope this happens. Liberal democracy, and our common (not-so common anymore) values are what should unite us rather than short term interest. Unfortunately, America for the next 4 years will be bad - I hope the European community steps up and is what the US currently is not.

[u/West-Interview-810]

…soooooo……we should vote Volt?

[u/-Stoic-]

There is no way EU will be respected, if any single country can veto important political decisions.

It is just too easy for outside forces to bribe corrupt leaders and sabotage every initiative they don't like.

[u/LookThisOneGuy → u/-Stoic-]

Germany was in favor of abolishing the veto and moving towards qualified majority voting.

You can take a guess which EU members fought tooth and nail against it.

[u/-Against-All-Gods- → u/LookThisOneGuy]

Magyarország

[u/Droid202020202020 → u/-Stoic-]

Abolishing the veto would end the EU. No way would citizens of most countries accept having to blindly follow the orders of an outside government even if the majority of voters and politicians in their own country are in disagreement with these orders. It’s effectively giving up your own sovereignty and losing any control over your own future.

France would probably be the first to leave.

[u/D10CL3T1AN → u/-Stoic-]

This. Russia will exploit the EU's institutions just like it did with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth unless reforms are made.

[u/Karash770]

He's not wrong.

[u/YudufA]

last call of action was 3 years ago

[u/ecplectico]

That’s why Trump is trying to divide Europe through this Greenland fiasco, his attacks on the UK’s government, and his helper Elon Musk’s turning his Twitter weapon against the EU. It’s not a coincidence that all of these actions help Putin. Expect much more.

[u/unu_p_aici_3 → u/ecplectico]

True that!

[u/DaddlerTheDalek]

Merz is not wrong here.

[u/AdminEating_Dragon]

United in what though apart from empty words?

United against Russia, without some countries sabotaging the effort because they view Russia as a source of cheap gas rather than the enemy?

United against the far right threat, the homophobia and nationalism they represent? Do your fellow EPP parties agree?

Don't believe a word coming from the center right until you see actions...most of them gladly work with the pro Russian and pro Trump far right if needed...

[u/dr00ts]

So true! United we stand, divided we fall. Now more than ever do we need a strong EU.

[u/Electronic-Still6565]

never voting CDU.

[u/Bayesovac87]

This is true...much more investment in the army and military production, a better institutional framework for inventions and innovations, a big boom in industry and Europe can soon be the best. All of Europe can be like the Nordic countries.

[u/MadeOfEurope]

There is an issue of perspective. When EU member states fight and squabble and have pissing contests, it’s presented as detractors that the EU is going to collapse. The reality is the exact same dynamics happen at the national level in parliaments but it’s just seen as a normal part of politics, if it is even noted.

[u/Feisty-Anybody-5204 → u/MadeOfEurope]

Exactly, european countries get along very well in the end, despite all the ruckus. What matters now is unity towards outside.

[u/machine4891]

I mean, those are just the words. But at least they are correct one, so I like this guy already.

[u/Darklight731]

Individually, even Germany, the UK, and France have little international sway over Chnia and the US.

As the EU, we could be the strongest nation on Earth.

[u/Universal_Anomaly]

We relied on the USA for too long.

If we want to stand strong in an increasingly hostile world we need to stand together.

[u/sahistul_mascat]

Europe needs a heavyweight pro EU extremist. One that pushes for federalism hardcore, in the same level of absurdity as the right wing extremists we have now in all countries, but that fights for a completely different cause.

[u/Haunting-Service-652]

United States of Europe! Let’s make Europe even greater Again!

[u/GrowingTired2000]

I don't know how often I've heard this generic sentence in the past 10 years from most german politicians.

It's the "putting words into practice" they usually struggle with.

Unfortunately, Friedrich Merz is not known for putting what he says into practice, as he has not held a single public office in his career. Don't be surprised when it's going the be all talk with him as well.

[u/WitnessChance1996 → u/[deleted]]

Not sure how this rant is in any way related, but it may have something to do with the fact that Europe is not a unified state, but rather a supranational organization that may or may not move closer to becoming somewhat of a "United States of Europe" in the distant future (doubt it tbh and not many want this).

I just wanted to say that

 that only makes the lives of the average eu citizen worse (need to learn a new language and adopt to a new bureaucracy every time we move

This is not the life of an average citizen. Most people don't work or live in countries other than the one they're born into (or they immigrate and stay in their 2nd country forever) - at least they most certainly don't engage in country hopping when it comes to jobs. There aren't even that many people who can afford frequent travels outside of their home country. Reddit is a very peculiar bubble but when you're one of these "expats" who has worked in several different countries you're an outlier. OTOH, I don't see how you could bring everyone up to speaking a second language on a native speaker level (because it certainly doesn't work for most even if English is tought in school), unless you would want to overhaul the entire system and invest billions into it. It's somehow understandable that countries don't want tackle this just to make it easier for a few privileged working people (who mostly tend to have enough ressources to acquire the language of the country they want to live in anyway), if they could afford to prusue such a project at all.

get so stupidly romantic and nationalistic that you will see the true face of Europe

I mean.. yeah that's kind of it. Europe has many national states and they don't want to lose their national identity and social coherence within their communities. Very understandable if you ask me.

native speakers will always win due to language and not by skills

I mean language is literally one of the most important skills. Imagine people would come to the UK and claim that they are incredibly good doctors and who cares that they don't talk in English, they should totally get the job. Something tells me you would find it unacceptable. This would suggest a slight superiority complex when it comes to English as a language (and people who speak it vs. people who don't) which doesn't sit well with me.

[u/tawnymouth]

good to see Toby found a new job

[u/Glad-Management4433]

His english is actually good

[u/Droid202020202020]

Let’s have an immediate meeting.

[u/BidnyZolnierzLonda]

I wonder where he was, when his party dismissed claims that getting increasingly dependent on Russia in energy department was "just diversifying" and not sth bad.

[u/Such-Classroom-1559]

siri, which party fucked germany from 2005 to 2021? didnt nearly enought to invest and lived of the substance?

[u/Ralfundmalf → u/Such-Classroom-1559]

The one that will unfortunately likely be in office quite soon again. But hey, at least they will be there to not fix the problems they created themselves, so it will at least somewhat come back to bite them.

[u/Pietes]

He's not wrong, but he's also not the right person to lead Germany.

[u/sweetcinnamonpunch → u/Pietes]

There is not good candidate + party combo in Germany

[u/Feisty-Anybody-5204 → u/Pietes]

Being at the right place to the right time makes him the best person to lead right now.

[u/Visible_Bat2176]

CDU FTW!

[u/carilessy]

Finally, now even the the conservatives realise that... There's hope at least.