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BERLIN – Germany’s election frontrunner Friedrich Merz has promised to take the lead on a joint European approach to Donald Trump’s presidency, rejecting the idea that relations with the US would now be dominated by Europe’s far right.
After taking office on Monday, Trump stunned observers with a flurry of executive orders, which included America’s withdrawal from international cooperation schemes such as the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Merz, who is tipped to become chancellor after Germany’s February election, urged European allies to “develop a joint strategy,” to address the new challenge in a united way.
“And Germany has to take a leading role,” the leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU) told German broadcaster Deutschlandfunk on Tuesday, adding: “Europeans are waiting for Germany.”
Merz had previously criticised Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a Social Democrat (SPD), for purportedly behaving passively during EU summits and for failing to initiate joint European action.
With Germany’s lead, Europe could rally around joint interests and leverage its market size of 450 million people, Merz said. He sees this as the basis for offering deals to Trump and standing up to his challenge to international trade and European security.
While Trump notably invited several European far-right officials to Monday’s inauguration, Merz does not believe that relations with America will now be dominated by figures such as Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán.
“That doesn’t mean that Donald Trump won’t hold sensible talks with everyone else if it’s in the American interest.”
His comments came after German media reported that he had sent a letter to Trump in which he congratulated him on a “truly remarkable” victory, promising to work “towards a new chapter in our relation.”
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The post Germany’s Merz vows to lead Europe on joint Trump strategy appeared first on Energy News Beat.
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