Merz Discusses Chancellery, Federal President, and AfD in ARD Summer Interview

When asked about his personal popularity, Merz gave an evasive answer: "Jemand, der dem Land Veränderungen zumutet, ist natürlich zu Beginn nicht populär". He added that popularity was not the measure of his policies. Rather, he had to solve the problems that had been neglected over the years. He reaffirmed this stance with regard to his party's current polling figures.

Potential Candidates for the Federal Presidency

A focus of the interview was the succession in the office of the Federal President. Merz named several potential candidates from the ranks of the CDU and CSU. Those mentioned were Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister for Family Affairs Karin Prien, the President of the Bavarian State Parliament Ilse Aigner, as well as the Chair of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. According to Merz, an official decision by the party bodies is still pending.

Merz stressed that the selection of the candidate should be made through an orderly process within the Union. He pointed to the particular foreign policy significance of the office and to the expectation that the next Federal President could convincingly represent Germany on the international stage.

Handling of the AfD and Situation in Saxony-Anhalt

As the interview progressed, Merz addressed the handling of the AfD. He reaffirmed his government's line that cooperation with the party at the federal level remains excluded. At the same time, he acknowledged that the AfD finds resonance among parts of the population and that the political center must provide convincing answers to this.

The Chancellor also commented on the situation in Saxony-Anhalt, where his party had to absorb significant losses in the state election. He called on the CDU in the state to close ranks and announced a stronger presence of federal politics in eastern Germany. At the same time, he called for a "Politik der Mitte, die wieder Vertrauen schafft".

The SPD, the Union's coalition partner, was also addressed. Merz emphasized that cooperation in the government works despite differing emphases. At the same time, he acknowledged that there was still a need for coordination on detailed issues. He named migration, pensions, and energy costs as central topics in the coming weeks.

Outlook on the Political Autumn

At the end of the interview, Merz looked ahead to the coming autumn. He announced further decisions on economic policy and domestic security and asked for patience regarding the effect of his reforms. Citizens had to feel that something was changing, he said.

The ARD summer interview is traditionally regarded as one of the most important appearances of the Federal Chancellor before the parliamentary summer break. In view of the upcoming state elections and the debate surrounding the Federal President election, the conversation received particular attention. Observers assessed the performance as solid, without Merz setting new substantive accents.