Friedrich Merz has vowed to prioritize European unity and the continent's security as it grapples with the new Trump administration and Russia's war on Ukraine​.

Compared to last October, the vote for the CDU/CSU is down slightly vis a vis the polls, the AfD have not rallied as much as their admirers would have believed.

The multi-faceted Friedrich Merz promises to be a most indecipherable head of government. Only one thing's for certain: He is willing to take risks. It comes with serious perils, but may be exactly what Germany (and the world) needs right now.