German elections 2025: What do Germany's election results mean for Asia relationships? | World news

GermanyThe conservative Union of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party The Christian Social Union (CSU) won the national elections on Sunday, whereby the CDU leader Friedrich was placed Merz Shortly before that, the next chancellor in the largest economy in Europe.
The election is made under tense relationships between the European Union and the United States, as President Donald Trump, among other things.
The tensions have fueled the demand for the EU to reduce their dependence on the United States for defense and to rethink their global partnerships.
Merz said Europe had to “achieve” independence from the United States and called for a strengthening of the defense cooperation within the EU block.

What is the view from China?

In addition to a confrontative Trump government and enemy Russia, the new German government also has to deal with a confident China.
China is one of the top trading partners in Germany, with bilateral trade in 2024 € 246.3 billion (€ 259 billion).
Germany and the European Union see China not only as a partner, but also a competitor and a “systemic rival”.
When asked about the German election result, China's spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Lin Jian Said that China is ready to work with the new German government to increase bilateral relationships.
XUEWU GUProfessor of international relations at the University of Bonn in Germany believes that the new German government will probably relax the restrictions on Chinese investments and, together with the EU, urge a trade and investment pact with China.
“In the event of a trade war with the United States, Germany has no choice but to strengthen cooperation with China,” said Gu.

India “does not expect upheavals”

While German companies have long been concentrating on the Chinese market, India has become increasingly important in recent years because the economy of the South Asian nation has rapid growth.
The trade between Germany and India was at a record high of € 30.9 billion in 2024.
The German government also passed a number of measures in 2024 to attract qualified Indian workers to close gaps on the Germany's labor market.
Gurjit Singh, a former ambassador to India in Germany, said that the relationship between the two countries was “sincerely built up by the CDU and the SPD [Social Democratic Party] And should therefore be able to continue. “
He also emphasized that the world changed quickly and that the relationships between great powers were influenced by new dynamics.
“India sees Germany and Europe as an important pole in a multipolar order. India believes that it has non -partisan support from Germany and therefore does not expect any upheavals,” he said.
Gulshan Sachdeva, chief coordinator of the Global South Center of Excellence, said that Merz was willing to play a key role in the design of a more independent Europe in a time of turbulence in transatlantic relationships.
“Russia is a strategic challenge, while Germany's disappointment with China is growing. In addition, Merz has expressed doubts about the future of NATO and rethinking nuclear deterrence,” said Sachdeva.
“This could encourage India to explore more robust partnerships with Europe and possibly benefit from an autonomous European foreign policy.”

Can Merz work on the migration with the Taliban?

During the election campaign, Merz swore a “fundamental” revision of Germany's asylum rules after a number of fatal attacks on asylum seekers were held responsible. The violent incidents in the past few months have hardened public attitudes to irregular migration.
The right -wing extremist alternative for Germany (AfD) benefited from the situation and secured 20.8% of the votes that have so far been strongest at the federal level.
Merz promised to impose difficult border controls and increase the deportations of rejected asylum seekers themselves in Afghanistan. During the election campaign, Merz said that the next government should “be ready to negotiate with the Taliban” to improve the deportations of Afghan migrants.
Mojib Atal, a migration researcher at the University of Friedrich-Aalexander Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), said: “While Merz is still demanding a coalition partner, stricter migration laws can be expected as part of the next German government.”
However, some Afghanistan experts warn that the commitment to the Taliban could contribute to the normalization of the Islamic fundamentalist group. The Taliban regime has committed numerous human rights violations, including the Afghan women from most aspects of public life and education.
Wazhma TokhiAn Afghan activist and educational activist for women's rights for women's rights, which is currently based in Germany, said that the idea of ​​opening talks with the Taliban is “more than worried.”
“It is a devastating blow for Afghan women, activists and refugees who have given their hopes in Germany's commitment to human rights. It is a betrayal of those who have fought, suffered, suffer and lost.”
Tokhi said by having talks with the Taliban: “We risk sacrificing Afghan women on the altar of political pragmatism.”
She added: “All conversations with the Taliban have to go hand in hand with unshakable demands for human rights, especially the rights of women. Everything else is complicit in their oppression.”

An opportunity to build stronger ties?

In Iran, the state media covered the German election results in detail, with some highlighting the increase in votes for the AfD party.
Many Iranian users wrote on social media, and they expect the new German government to take a harder attitude towards Tehran.
Some also emphasized Merz's invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attend Germany before an arrest warrant against the Israeli guide of the International Criminal Court on alleged war crimes in Gaza. The step is viewed as a clear message to the Iranian Islamic theocratic regime.
In Indonesia, Evi Fitriani, professor of international relations at the Universitas Indonesia, expects no significant changes to Germany under the new government.
“Germany has long been considered an important partner from Europe, which is particularly supported in trade and environmental relationships,” she said, adding that the expectation now consists of maintaining good relationships and opening better business opportunities.
“In the past, Europe agreed closely with the United States. But with Trump's isolationist and American-centered approach, this offers Asia and Europe an opportunity to build stronger ties,” she told DW.
“Good relationships always begin with the trade. Germany's main interest is the trade, while Asia needs investments, technology and trading partners. This offers a chance.”