The German opposition candidate demands a European response to Trump’s policies

The German opposition candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, called for a coordinated European response to the policies of new US President Donald Trump.
Meretz currently leads the Christian Democratic Party (the largest opposition party in Germany), which along with his younger brother, the Bavarian Christian Social Party, forms what is known as the Christian Union. Meretz also leads the Christian Union bloc in the German Parliament in Berlin.

Donald Trump’s policies towards Europe

Mertz said in Berlin on Saturday: “As long as the European member states are united, they will be respected in the world, including in the United States.”
He added, “If it is divided, no one will take us seriously.” Meretz spoke of what he described as “the final call to action,” noting that Trump’s inauguration the day after tomorrow, Monday, “will accelerate our efforts to unite our strength and move jointly.”

Big challenges

He continued that Trump’s actions can be predicted well, adding that Trump “does what he says, thinks about what he says, and implements what he says.”
But he pointed out that this would create major challenges. Mertz said that Trump would also influence the debate on defense spending.
Addressing his colleagues in the European People’s Party, he said: “We all agree on the need to make much greater efforts collectively.”

Military procurement in Europe

He explained that before talking about joint European initiatives and financing them, the standards related to military procurement must be simplified, and the numbers of military equipment must be considered.
He pointed out that there is a lot of room to improve efficiency so that more can be obtained for the money already spent, adding: “Military procurement in Europe is very expensive, very complex, and varies greatly in terms of regulations.”
The head of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, said that the experiences of the past years have shown that “Europeans are intelligent enough to deal with challenges.” He expressed his optimism about dealing with Trump, explaining: “He reflects our image to us.”