German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warns at Davos that the international order is unravelling, creating a dangerous era of great power politics.
DAVOS: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that the international order is “unravelling at a breathtaking pace”.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum, he stated that “a world where only power counts is a dangerous place”.
Merz pointed to Russia’s war in Ukraine, a rising China, and a United States radically reshaping its foreign policy as key drivers of this shift.
He said Russia’s invasion is “the most drastic expression” of a global “new era” so far.
Merz added that China has worked its way “into the ranks of the great powers” with strategic foresight.
“The United States’ global pole position is being challenged,” he said.
The conservative leader argued Europe’s power rests on three essential pillars.
“First we must invest massively in our ability to defend ourselves, and we are doing this,” he said.
“Second, we must rapidly make our economies competitive, and we are doing this.”
His third point was that Europe must stand closer together with like-minded partners.
Merz reflected on Germany’s own 20th-century history, saying it went down a dangerous path “to its bitter end”.
“It pulled the world into a black abyss,” he stated.
He concluded that the greatest strength remains “the ability to build partnerships and alliances among equals based on mutual trust and respect”.