Merz in the general debate: I’m not that bad

In the end, it sounds almost a bit like Angela Merkel, his great rival. “We can do that,” Friedrich Merz calls as appeal as the former Chancellor in the refugee crisis. Merz does not mean the admission of hundreds of thousands of migrants this Wednesday morning. He wants to show that something else works elsewhere: with the economic upswing, the reform of the welfare state, innovation. “It is breathtaking what we already see in Germany today,” the Chancellor thunders into the plenum, grabs the manuscript and goes back to his place.

It is a somewhat idiosyncratic interpretation of the current situation, at least you have to look for the people who see it like Merz, these days with a magnifying glass. Even his own people are restless in the face of the lack of upswing, the inertia that threatens to make up in the country. Key industries tremble for their future, the security systems shake. And the Germans? Apparently saw enough of Merz after less than half a year.

More than two thirds of the citizens are dissatisfied with him. A bad value, almost breathtaking, to speak to the chancellor.

Wednesday, nine o’clock in the Bundestag: Merz appears in the general debate, the second within seven days. The message he wants to set this time: I’m not that bad. Angela Merkel and Olaf Scholz practically always talked as if there was no criticism, which always seemed slightly rocked.

Merz openly appeals to his government. Too slow in economic policy? “We have started the measures long ago.” Too often abroad? “Foreign and domestic policy can no longer be separated.” Too many compromises? “No group has won the absolute majority.” A man defends himself. 26 minutes of political taekwondo, you rarely see that from a chancellor.

Is he in the right place at all? In New York, the UN has just come together for the general assembly, many powerful gathered there to talk about the world situation – and the Chancellor remains in Berlin, thus acting like an international margin figure.

Merz doesn’t care. Hardly any word falls in his speech on the big crises, the Ukraine war, about the location in Gaza. Not even the name Trump mentions Merz, which is also astonishing because he expressly praised the black-red government the day before that he has left the wrong way in migration policy and the green energy. But you don’t really want to be taken from Trump right now. Maybe that’s why Merz is silent about it. Maybe also because he doesn’t need an external advocate. He does it himself.

He still has one: climate protection. He is reading often, the coalition loops climate protection. “Nothing could be further,” says Merz. Unrest at Greens and AfD. “We do climate protection without ideology.” Greater unrest in Greens and AfD. “Yes, that is now called from left and from the right is very revealing,” calls the Chancellor with loud applause from his people. “Very informative!”

The Bundestag President hooks whether he allowed an interim question from the opposition. “No, thank you very much.” Motto: Today I’m tuned. It is one of the few moments when the Chancellor really looks aggressive that the competition grabs.

Does it help him, does it help his government to speak openly, instead of choking around or memory of the general debate? Merz looks more argumentative than its predecessors, that is an advantage. The problem of this strategy: it looks defensive, vulnerable, like a man who has to justify himself. Merz makes himself a little smaller in the current crisis than he is. And surprises, new advances? Was completely missing in this appearance.

Next week there is a cabinet exam in the calendar, with all ministers. A moment of reflection. He comes at the right time.