Merz Says Many Europeans Have Lost Trust in the EU

German Chancellor: many Europeans have lost faith in the EU

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that many Europeans no longer trust the European Union and its policies. Among Germany’s main problems, he cited high energy prices, bureaucracy and difficulties within the social security system.

Friedrich Merz/Reuters

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“Many people no longer trust European politics or the European Union. And we cannot limit ourselves to merely describing the problems at length. We must solve them,” said Merz, speaking at the Christian Social Union (CSU) party conference in Munich.

According to the Chancellor, both Germany and Europe are facing serious difficulties, and in order to overcome them, it is necessary to restore public trust. Merz emphasised that the authorities must not only talk about the problems, but also find solutions.

The statement came against the backdrop of a fall in the Chancellor’s popularity and his party’s setbacks in regional elections.

For instance, in the elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania at the end of September, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Merz at federal level, received 4.9 per cent of the vote and, for the first time in the history of modern Germany, failed to win any seats in the state parliament. Victory went to the Eurosceptic ‘Alternative for Germany’ (AfD).

According to a September INSA poll, almost 78 per cent of Germans were dissatisfied with Merz’s performance and considered him unsuitable for the post of chancellor. Following the setbacks in the regional elections, the German media, including *Der Spiegel*, once again began discussing a possible change of chancellor. His personnel decisions and the escalation of internal conflicts were cited as reasons for the discontent within the party.

One possible factor in helping the government emerge from the crisis could be economic recovery. According to a forecast by the German Ministry of Economics, the country’s GDP is set to grow by 1.3 per cent in 2026 following three years of stagnation. However, the improved economic outlook has not yet led to a noticeable rise in the Chancellor’s popularity.

This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.

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