The guardian view of Germany's election result: Merz 'task is impressive | Editorial

FRiedrich Merz, the leader of the German Middle-Right-Christ Democratic Union Party (CDU), has the reputation of being dull. On Sunday evening, when it became clear that the CDU had won the snap choice that was triggered by the outgoing Chancellor of Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “For me,” said Merz in a television debate of the election, “the absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as soon as possible so that we can really reach independence from the USA step by step.”

Such an explanation of a German Chancellor would have been unimaginable for fourteen days ago. But these are new and extraordinary times. Mr. Merz, a convinced transatlantic, previously played the dangers for the west of unity characterized by Donald Trump. But Rohe Wahl in the name of the extreme right alternative for Germany (AfD) by the Outiders of the US President and the marginalization of Europe and Kyiv by negotiating the future of Ukraine have forced a handbrake.

This is good news for the European Union, who tries to strengthen its strategic autonomy in a new and challenging era. For the Ukraine, Mr. Merz from Merz 'absolutely offers robust support from a united Europe reason for hope. The newly assertive leadership from the most powerful Member State of the EU will be the key in a more global context of the global context.

In Germany, reasons for optimism on the ground are thinner. As Mr. Merz recognized on Monday, the survey at the weekend resulted in a dangerously polarized country – one in which the center is historically weak, while right law continues to rise, especially in the east. With a very high turnout, the AfD doubled its voice to 21%. The combined score of the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), was 29% – the second lowest since 1949. The Social Democrat Party (SPD) had its worst post -war result, reduced to third place and an incredible 16%.

Mr. Merz has undertaken to maintain the firewall with the exception of the far-fair electricity, and the composition of the new Bundestag points to a two-party coalition with the SPD. This could lead to a welcome temperature of the CDU efforts to find immigration policy. Instead of extending unsuccessful attempts to displace them on the far right, it would be in the interest of Germany to move in the other direction of the economy.

In the 1990s, the CDU leader made himself as a small state of free marketers in the Ronald Reagan form. But as a chancellor, he will inherit a moribund economy in urgently huge state investments, at a time when the pressure to increase defense spending is also acute. The business model, which depended on cheap Russian energy and the Chinese demand for exports, has collapsed. If you determine it, this can be pushed on constitutional reforms so that the state can take out and spend more loans – Anathema for many in Mr. Merz's party.

Every fifth German voter chose a party on Sunday that supported the forced return of migrants and associated with neo-Nazi dog wishes. The AfD has received considerable support for both young and non -graduate. Beyond the firewall, AfD leader Alice Weidel can position himself as the leader of a Trumpian government. The next administration must try to restore confidence in Germany's post -war tradition of consensus and moderation. The operations could hardly be higher.