this post was submitted on 01 Feb 2025
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While Merz’s move might not have any immediate impact on the polls - since the CDU is currently leading - it will soon create a much bigger problem: no party across the democratic spectrum will be willing to form a coalition with him.
He may win over some radicals and see a temporary boost (or no negative impact) in the polls, which will likely lead him to believe he’s on the right track. But in the long run, he’s undermining his own trustworthiness.
Imagine being in a coalition with him, and then he starts pushing radical policies that have no support from his partners or the democratic parties. He’ll likely work with the far righters of AfD.
That’s a person you simply can’t trust or work with. The CDU may still win the election, but Merz has effectively destroyed his chances of becoming Chancellor.
His only remaining path to power would be through a power-hungry, partisan approach that prioritizes politics over the country’s well-being and democracy - ultimately paving the way for working with the AfD, which would be disastrous for Germany’s democratic foundations.
At this point, he became Germany’s version of Trump.
If we are lucky WE might get a coalition with the left, the greens and the social democrats. Last time I checked they were at about 43% vs 45% for CDU and AfD. It is not completely unlikely.