Friedrich Merz, poised to become Germany’s next chancellor, used his election victory on Sunday to deliver an extraordinary warning—not about Germany’s sluggish economy or the alarming rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), but about the reliability of its most important ally, the

As the final votes were counted in Germany’s election, three key takeaways emerged. First, the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU), along with their Bavarian counterpart, the Christian Social Union (CSU), secured a clear, albeit underwhelming, victory with 29% of the vote. This outcome positions

"MANY PEOPLE... have the vague feeling that something is no longer right with our country and the situation in the world." So writes Friedrich Merz in his final "MerzMail" dispatch before Germany’s pivotal election on Sunday. Unlike many leaders-in-waiting who offer bland