After the US President, Chancellor Friedrich Merz gives a speech at the World Economic Forum. The speeches didn’t differ much.
F Riedrich Merz gave a great speech. The big mare, emphasized the Chancellor, corresponded to his political thinking. You already want to laugh. But he didn’t mean the big talker and world distorter from the USA. He meant the pastry with the pipe. Because in this speech Merz thanked the German bakery trade for awarding him the Great Stutenkerl. That was on Sunday.
On Thursday Merz gave another speech. This time at the World Economic Forum in Davosin which it becomes more and more obvious that the bigheads can no longer make the world happy. At least not with conventional recipes. But that is the Chancellor’s problem. He has nothing else in his pocket. He praises the German middle class as a model of success both in the baking industry and in the world economy – especially in a world that is fundamentally and fundamentally changing rapidly. This is a guarantee for industries of the future with Germany as a strong partner.
That’s not wrong. Without economic strength, Germany and Europe would look even older than they currently appear in the maelstrom of world events. However, he only has three points to counter the tectonic shifts in geopolitics that Merz himself named: security. So more spending on defense. Unity. So cohesion in Europe. Competitiveness. So a booming economy in a glorious world of capitalism.
The Chancellor sees the world primarily as a marketplace. And apparently not at all otherwise. In this he resembles – and it couldn’t be more fatal – Donald Trump of all people. Even when Merz hurls a harsh “This has to end” at the bureaucracy in Europe, he sounds like the great Zampano from Washington who likes to make the puppets dance with a stroke of his hand. Everything has to be fast, dynamic, just not a waste of time.
That’s probably why the economist Merz doesn’t have time to name the important differences to current US policy. It’s not just about solidarity between states, but about social balance between people. It’s not about recycling raw materials and workers, but about an inspiringly open society, about preserving the environment and culture, and about freedom of thought across borders. This must be stated clearly, even more clearly than in previous decades. Because it is no longer a given. But is quickly forgotten. Even from the Federal Chancellor.
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