Germany's Merz calls for reset with U.S. as old global order faces change – NBC News

An Urgent Call for a Transatlantic Reckoning

In a declaration resonating across the capitals of Europe and North America, Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s main opposition party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has issued a stark and powerful call for a fundamental “reset” of the relationship between Germany and the United States. This is not merely a diplomatic suggestion but a profound acknowledgment that the geopolitical bedrock upon which the post-Cold War world was built has fractured. As a new era of great power competition, systemic rivalry, and violent conflict dawns, Merz argues that the old assumptions and comfortable dependencies that defined the transatlantic alliance are no longer fit for purpose. The call signals a growing consensus within Germany’s political establishment that Berlin must shed its post-war reticence and embrace a more robust role as a strategic partner to Washington, ready to shoulder a greater share of the burden in defending the liberal international order.

This proposed reset is born from a confluence of crises that have shattered the relative tranquility of the past three decades. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine acted as the primary catalyst, exposing Europe’s—and particularly Germany’s—vulnerabilities in defense and energy. Simultaneously, the strategic challenge posed by an increasingly assertive China and the lingering uncertainty over America’s long-term commitment to European security, amplified by the “America First” doctrine, have forced a moment of introspection in Berlin. Merz’s intervention is both a challenge to the current government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and a signal to Washington that a potential future German government under his leadership would pursue a more proactive and decisive foreign policy, cementing Germany’s role as an indispensable pillar of Western security in a world where the old rules no longer apply.

Who is Friedrich Merz and Why Does His Voice Matter?

To fully grasp the significance of this call, one must understand the man who made it. Friedrich Merz is not a fringe political figure; he is a central player in German politics with a long and influential career, now poised as a leading contender for the chancellorship in the next federal election.

The Man at the Helm of Germany’s Opposition

Friedrich Merz leads the CDU, the party of Konrad Adenauer, Helmut Kohl, and, most recently, Angela Merkel. After Merkel’s 16-year tenure, which was defined by a pragmatic, consensus-driven, and often cautious approach to foreign policy, Merz represents a marked shift. A lawyer and former corporate executive, he hails from the more traditionally conservative, pro-business, and staunchly pro-Atlanticist wing of the party. For years, he was a prominent internal rival to Merkel, advocating for clearer conservative principles and a more assertive German stance on the world stage.

His election as CDU party leader in 2022 signaled a desire within the party to chart a new course after its electoral defeat in 2021. His leadership imbues this call for a “reset” with significant weight. It is not an abstract policy paper but a clear statement of intent from the man who could very well be Germany’s next Chancellor. His pronouncements are carefully watched in Washington and other allied capitals as a barometer of the future direction of German foreign policy.

Deconstructing the “Reset”: Beyond Rhetoric

When Merz speaks of a “reset,” he is envisioning something far more substantial than a simple reaffirmation of friendship. The term implies a recalibration of the core tenets of the U.S.-German relationship, moving from a dynamic often characterized by American leadership and German followership to a more balanced and reciprocal partnership. This entails several key dimensions:

• Shared Responsibility: The “reset” is a commitment for Germany to transition from being a primary “consumer” of security, largely guaranteed by the U.S. nuclear umbrella and military presence, to a significant “producer” of security in Europe. This means not just spending more on defense but developing the strategic culture and military capability to act as a credible guarantor of stability on NATO’s eastern flank.
• Strategic Alignment: It calls for a deeper and more honest dialogue to forge a unified transatlantic strategy on the era’s defining challenges, particularly China. For too long, German policy, driven by its export-oriented economy, was perceived as prioritizing commercial interests with Beijing over the strategic concerns voiced by Washington. A reset means aligning these perspectives to counter threats to the rules-based order.
• Proactive Engagement: Rather than reacting to crises or American pressure, a reset partnership would see Germany proactively identifying challenges and proposing joint solutions, whether on trade disputes, technological standards, or energy security.

The Crumbling Foundations of the Old Global Order

Merz’s urgency is a direct response to the dramatic and accelerating collapse of the international system that has prevailed since the fall of the Berlin Wall. This “old global order” was built on a set of assumptions that have now proven to be tragically flawed.

The End of an Era: Unraveling the Post-Cold War Consensus

The period from 1991 to roughly 2022 was defined by a belief in the “end of history,” the inexorable spread of liberal democracy, and the pacifying effects of economic globalization. For Germany, this manifested in the doctrine of “Wandel durch Handel” (change through trade), the idea that deepening economic ties with autocratic states like Russia and China would inevitably lead to their political liberalization. This belief system allowed Germany to thrive as a commercial power while minimizing its military and geopolitical responsibilities, outsourcing its hard security to the United States.

Russia’s War in Ukraine: The Brutal Catalyst for Change

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, was the geopolitical earthquake that shattered this paradigm. For Germany, the shock was existential. The war demonstrated in the most brutal terms that “Wandel durch Handel” had not moderated Russia but had instead created a dangerous energy dependency that Moscow weaponized. It also laid bare the severe underinvestment and neglect that had plagued the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, for decades. The notion of a major land war in Europe, once considered a relic of the 20th century, was suddenly a terrifying reality, forcing a national reckoning with the country’s defense posture.

The Rise of China: A Systemic Challenge Demanding a Unified Response

While Russia presents an acute military threat, China poses a more comprehensive, long-term systemic challenge. The U.S. has for years been urging its European allies to recognize the risks associated with deep economic entanglement with a state that does not share its values and actively seeks to reshape the international order in its favor. German industry, particularly its powerful automotive sector, is heavily reliant on the Chinese market, creating a powerful inertia against a more hawkish policy. Merz’s call for a reset implicitly recognizes that this divergence is unsustainable. A renewed transatlantic partnership must find a common approach to “de-risking” from China—reducing critical dependencies in areas like technology, raw materials, and pharmaceuticals—without triggering a catastrophic economic decoupling.

The Specter of “America First”: Preparing for a New American Posture

A crucial, if often unspoken, driver of this European re-evaluation is the volatility of American politics. The presidency of Donald Trump introduced the “America First” doctrine, which questioned the value of long-standing alliances like NATO and treated allies as transactional partners. The potential for his return, or the rise of a similar political ideology, has forced European leaders to confront a future in which the U.S. security guarantee might not be as ironclad as it once was. Merz’s call is, in part, a strategic hedge—a recognition that Germany and Europe must build up their own capacity to ensure their security, making them a more valuable and less dependent partner for any U.S. administration, regardless of its political orientation.

Germany’s Tectonic Shift: From “Zeitenwende” to a New Strategic Identity

Merz’s proposal does not exist in a vacuum. It builds upon, and seeks to accelerate, a profound transformation already underway in German security policy, known as the “Zeitenwende” or “turning point.”

Chancellor Scholz’s Historic “Turning Point”

Just days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivered a landmark speech to the Bundestag, declaring a “Zeitenwende.” He announced a dramatic reversal of decades of German policy, committing to a €100 billion special fund to modernize the Bundeswehr and pledging to meet NATO’s target of spending 2% of GDP on defense “from now on.” This was a revolutionary moment in post-war German history, breaking long-held taboos about military spending and the projection of power. Major procurement programs, such as the purchase of American F-35 fighter jets, were greenlit to bolster Germany’s contribution to NATO’s nuclear sharing mission.

Merz’s Push: A Critique and a Vision for a More Decisive Germany

While the “Zeitenwende” was a historic step, its implementation has drawn criticism from figures like Merz for being too slow and bureaucratic. The opposition argues that the Scholz government, a three-party coalition, has been hesitant in its decision-making and has not matched its initial bold rhetoric with sufficiently rapid action. Merz’s call for a “reset” can be seen as an effort to seize the political initiative. He is arguing that the “Zeitenwende” must be more than just a spending program; it must be a fundamental shift in Germany’s strategic culture. His vision is for a Germany that not only possesses a powerful military but also has the political will to use its influence to shape European security and act decisively in concert with the United States.

Bridging the Gap: The Economic Giant’s Security Deficit

For over 70 years, Germany’s identity has been intertwined with its economic prowess and its “culture of restraint” in military affairs—a direct consequence of its history in the 20th century. This created a stark asymmetry: Germany was an economic superpower but a geopolitical middleweight. The changing global order makes this position untenable. A “reset” of the U.S. relationship is fundamentally about closing this gap, aligning Germany’s geopolitical weight with its economic might, and finally accepting the responsibilities that come with being the largest and most powerful country in the European Union.

The Architecture of a Renewed Partnership

A “reset” transatlantic relationship would need to be built on concrete, mutually reinforcing pillars of cooperation, moving from abstract principles to tangible policy alignment.

Pillar One: Forging an Ironclad Defense and Security Alliance

The foundation of the reset must be an unwavering commitment to collective defense. For Germany, this means not just hitting the 2% NATO spending target but sustaining it for the long term. It involves the rapid modernization of the Bundeswehr to make it the “best-equipped army in Europe,” as Chancellor Scholz has stated. This includes greater interoperability with U.S. forces, joint military-industrial projects, and a more robust and permanent German military presence on NATO’s eastern flank in countries like Lithuania. The goal is to transform the German military into the conventional backbone of European defense, thereby relieving some of the pressure on U.S. forces.

Pillar Two: Aligning Economic and Trade Policies for a New Age

Economic friction has been a persistent irritant in the transatlantic relationship. Contentious issues like U.S. tariffs and the protectionist elements of policies like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) have created disputes. A reset would involve creating a more structured dialogue to resolve these issues and, more importantly, to forge a common economic front against systemic rivals. This means coordinating on export controls for sensitive technologies to China, developing joint standards for artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, and working together to build resilient supply chains that are less vulnerable to political coercion.

Pillar Three: Achieving Technological and Energy Sovereignty

The crises of the past few years have highlighted the critical vulnerabilities of relying on autocratic states for essential goods, from energy to semiconductors. A key element of a renewed partnership would be a joint U.S.-German (and EU-wide) push for greater strategic sovereignty. This would involve massive investment in domestic semiconductor production, securing supply chains for critical raw materials needed for the green transition, and accelerating the shift to renewable energy sources to permanently end reliance on Russian fossil fuels. This is not about autarky but about smart, strategic diversification in cooperation with trusted allies.

Navigating the Path Forward: Political Implications and the Future Outlook

Friedrich Merz’s call is as much a domestic political maneuver as it is a foreign policy statement, and its reception on both sides of the Atlantic will shape its ultimate success.

The Domestic Political Chessboard in Germany

Domestically, Merz is positioning the CDU/CSU as the party with the clearest vision for Germany’s role in a dangerous world. He is challenging Chancellor Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), a party whose historical legacy includes “Ostpolitik” and has traditionally housed a more Russia-skeptic wing. By championing a muscular, pro-American foreign policy, Merz is drawing a sharp contrast with the perceived hesitancy of the current coalition, aiming to win over voters concerned about national security ahead of the 2025 federal election.

The View from Washington: A Welcome Call or a Complication?

In Washington, the reaction is likely to be positive, albeit with nuances depending on the administration. The current Biden administration would undoubtedly welcome a more assertive, responsible, and militarily capable Germany as a key partner in managing global challenges. Merz’s vision aligns perfectly with long-standing U.S. calls for greater European burden-sharing. A potential future administration with an “America First” orientation might view a stronger Germany through a more transactional lens. While it would appreciate the increased defense spending, it might also see a more confident Germany as a potential economic competitor. Regardless, a Germany that takes more responsibility for its own neighborhood is an asset to any U.S. strategy that is increasingly focused on the Indo-Pacific.

Conclusion: A Necessary Partnership for a More Dangerous World

Friedrich Merz’s call for a “reset” in German-American relations is more than just a headline; it is a critical reflection of a world in profound flux. It represents the maturation of German strategic thought, a definitive break from the comfortable illusions of the post-Cold War era. The old order, characterized by American primacy and German economic focus, is gone. In its place is a more complex and dangerous landscape that demands a new kind of partnership—one built not on dependency, but on shared responsibility, strategic alignment, and mutual respect. The path to this reset will be complex, requiring sustained political will and significant investment on both sides of the Atlantic. But in an age defined by the return of great power conflict, the success of this endeavor may well determine the future security and prosperity of the entire Western world.