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2025-05-07 Europe

Germany's Merz elected chancellor after surprise setback

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Posted by Fred 2025-05-07 00:00|| || Front Page|| [195 views ] Top

#1 As a chancellor he cannot realistically be removed from office before the end of the electoral term.

If he's smart he will seek maximal confrontation woth the social democrats and end the coalition soon, forming a minority government.

He isn't smart though,

After the election in February Merz announced he would invite Netanyahu to Germany in spite of the ICC.

In an interview yesterday he was asked explictly if the invitation stands. He avoided answering the question directly, instead he declared that "we have the greatest concern about Israel."

He a man who will sometimes say the right thing, but who will also spinelessly renege in the face of even the slightest criticism from the left.

Posted by Elmerert Hupens2660 2025-05-07 00:25|| 2025-05-07 00:25|| Front Page Top

#2 I don’t recall — did he ever promise that PM Netanyahu would be guaranteed protection from ICC or Interpol arrest while in Germany? Because if he did not, his invitation to Bibi is a threat.

Posted by trailing wife 2025-05-07 00:53|| 2025-05-07 00:53|| Front Page Top

#3 @2
In March he did promise to defy the ICC arrest warrant.

In a tv interview yesterday he was asked directly if his promise still stands and answered evasively.

Since he made the initial promise after the election I suspect he had to make additional concessions to the leftists (Social Democrats, Greens, Communist Party of East Germany) to secure his election to the office of chancellor, one of these concessions being a tough stance on Israel.

"Likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he will find "ways and means" for Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Germany. Israel's Prime Minister is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity."

Posted by Elmerert Hupens2660 2025-05-07 03:39|| 2025-05-07 03:39|| Front Page Top

#4 ^Merz is a man of his word!!!!

Posted by Grom the Affective 2025-05-07 04:18|| 2025-05-07 04:18|| Front Page Top

#5 The new German Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt (CSU, my party) has just ordered to stop all illegal migrants at the border including those who ask for asylum.

Let's see how this works out. Trump already knows that the courts will interfere.

Posted by European Conservative 2025-05-07 11:28|| 2025-05-07 11:28|| Front Page Top

#6 I have no idea if prayers work, European Conservative, but I’m praying hard that Germany wins this one.

Posted by trailing wife 2025-05-07 12:18|| 2025-05-07 12:18|| Front Page Top

#7 ..And Merz is an honorable man.

Posted by swksvolFF 2025-05-07 13:09|| 2025-05-07 13:09|| Front Page Top

#8 @tw
Inofficially we're getting positive responses from other European nations. Officially they might be protesting, but they now are free to do the same thing. If migrants can't get to Germany anymore, they will think twice before setting out and getting up stranded in some Greek or Italian camps.

Posted by European Conservative 2025-05-07 17:16|| 2025-05-07 17:16|| Front Page Top

#9 Nominate swksvolFF @#7 for SotD. (IYKYK)

Posted by Nero 2025-05-07 17:38|| 2025-05-07 17:38|| Front Page Top

#10 The asylum move by the interior minister looks like "maximal confrontation" strategy that would end the coalition soon.

However Merz seems to be backpedaling already:

"Merz in Warsaw: Called my new Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and asked him to seek an exchange with our European neighbors. Migration is not a national problem, but a common European one."

Either this is pre-planned failure theater or there will be some interesting developments very, very soon.

The vaunted "European Solution" to the asylum conundrum is very simple actually.

If Germany were to suggest an abolition of all asylum laws and treaties Europe wide, Europe would would breathe a sigh of relief.

Generic blanket asylum is the construct that gave the world Lenin and Khomeini. It is an amoral, if not immoral concept.

Posted by Elmerert Hupens2660 2025-05-07 18:59|| 2025-05-07 18:59|| Front Page Top

#11 " The new German Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt (CSU, my party) has just ordered to stop all illegal migrants at the border including those who ask for asylum."

Funny how that happens as the AfD has at least tied the CDU/CSU in approval ratings (some say the AfD has surpassed the CDU/CSU).

Yes, I'm glad the closed the borders to illegals/asylum seekers, but the motives are suspect.

BTW, doesn't Friedrich Merz kind of remind one of Geo. H. W. Bush with his "read my lips" boast?

Posted by DooDahMan 2025-05-07 23:13|| 2025-05-07 23:13|| Front Page Top

23:16 DooDahMan
23:13 DooDahMan
21:19 Gritch Throlumble3163
20:56 Elmerert Hupens2660
20:34 49 Pan
20:34 49 Pan
20:26 magpie
19:17 3dc
19:10 Elmerert Hupens2660
18:59 Elmerert Hupens2660
18:35 Frank G
17:52 alanc
17:47 swksvolFF
17:45 alanc
17:38 Nero
17:16 European Conservative
17:02 DarthVader
16:44 Pancho Poodle8452
16:40 Skidmark
16:37 Skidmark
16:29 Skidmark
16:23 Skidmark
14:58 swksvolFF
14:54 badanov