Friedrich Merz: What awaits him at the summer press conference

The first major projects under roof and subject, the mood curve is pointing up, the start has succeeded: Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) would probably have liked the public perception of his “work coalition” from the Union and SPD before his first summer press conference as a Federal Chancellor. The dispute over the reduction in electricity tax and the burst judge election on the last day before the summer break made him a stroke.

So it could be uncomfortable if Merz asked itself today – on the 74th day of his tenure – at 10.30 a.m. about 90 minutes the questions of the capital’s journalists organized in the Federal Press Conference. As always, there are no thematic requirements. A name is likely to fall this morning. And a few more will also happen. An overview of what Merz could face this morning.

Merz has already commented on the burst judge election and the consequences: on Sunday in the ARD summer interview. His key messages: everything “no broken leg”. This will now be discussed “in peace” with the coalition partner SPD. And: it is up to the Bundestag and not the Chancellor.

Much suggests that Merz will stay with this line. A solution approach is not yet in sight in the stuck dispute between the Union and the SPD. Merz will probably not be able to deliver him either. Nevertheless, Brosius-Gersdorf and the judge’s election are likely to be the top topic of the summer press conference.

Last Friday, the elections of two new judges and a judge for the Federal Constitutional Court were discontinued at short notice from the agenda of the Bundestag. The pressure against the Potsdam constitutional lawyer Brosius-Gersdorf proposed by the SPD had become too great in the Union. The group management was no longer able to guarantee the support agreed with the coalition partner.

Union faction leader Jens Spahn (CDU) is made quite unanimously as the main person responsible for the fiasco in the judge’s election because he underestimated the mood in the Union against Brosius-Gersdorf. Merz has the question of whether Spahn is still the right man on the post, in which ARD answered with two words: “clearly yes.” He should also stay there today. Because an exchange of his parliamentary group leader, whom he chose himself, would massively harm himself.

In the 90 minutes, there will also be room for other topics. For US President Donald Trump, for example, for his customs threats to the EU and the back and forth in arms to Ukraine. From August 1st, tariffs of 30 percent should apply to EU goods if there is no agreement beforehand. And when it comes to arms deliveries, there is a fundamental agreement that Germany will deliver patriot air defense systems to Ukraine and then receive replacement from the USA for payment. The details still have to be clarified-especially when the US systems are available.

Trump’s 50-day ultimatum to Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin combined with the threat of massive sanctions against the most important allies could also play a role. So far, the Russian president has not been impressed. The EU also has to make its contribution to increase the pressure on Putin. But the path seems to be free for that. Slovakia surprisingly announced on Thursday evening to end the blockade of new EU sanctions against Russia.

The proposal of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a shared community budget of the European Union for two trillion euros could also come up again. On Thursday, Merz already made his rejection clear on his Great Britain trip. In particular, the proposed taxation of companies by the EU is out of the question, he said. He could “rule out this for Germany that we go with such a way. We don’t.”

Merz will probably pull the interim balance after 74 days of black-red coalition in his entrance statement. All laws that have been carried out with the SPD were realized, he has already said. “There has never been a doubt that we also bring what we have agreed in the coalition agreement.” In any case, he does not want to know anything about a government crisis because of a failed judge’s election. “This is nothing that we around.”