The first offers of congratulations are trickling in for the German center-right CDU party and its leader, chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz.
The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called the election result a “decisive victory for our political family, for Germany and Europe.”
The European People’s Party (EPP), the European Union’s largest parliamentary group, wrote on its official X account that it was confident that Merz would “deliver the necessary leadership towards a strong Germany in a strong Europe.”
‘A strong Germany is essential for a strong Europe’
Other colleagues in the parliamentary group also congratulated the conservative chancellor candidate.
Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic hopes the new German government will be formed “soon.” Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo sent his warmest congratulations to “his friend Friedrich Merz.”
“A strong Germany is important for a strong Europe,” Orpo emphasized on X.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina looks forward to building a “stronger, more secure and competitive Europe” with Merz. Her Portuguese counterpart, Luis Montenegro, is looking forward to tackling the “common challenges in the EU, NATO and the United Nations.”
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, whose party is part of the right-wing conservative European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament, expressed his best wishes for “strength and success in forming the federal government.” He is also looking forward to “working together on a strong Europe.”
From Denmark, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen congratulated the German chancellor-to-be and emphasized that in uncertain times, there needs to be a “strong Europe and a strong Germany.”
Assuming that Merz succeeds in finding a government majority and thus becomes the next German chancellor, he will sit on the European Council with the heads of state and government of the other 26 EU member states. At their regular summit meetings, they determine the course of EU policy.
Under a future Chancellor Merz, Germany is expected to change course in some matters, such as migration policy. Brussels also hopes that a new government will clarify Germany’s position on various legislative proposals.
Rutte: ‘Europe must spend more on defense’
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also said he looks forward to working with Merz at this “critical moment for our common security.”
He stated that Europe must spend more on its defense, and Merz’s leadership is central to this.
The current target for NATO’s defense spending is 2%. However, since US President Donald Trump has demanded this be raised to 5%, a new target has been discussed within NATO.
Mark Rutte already said that “it’s vital that Europe step up on defense spending.” The decision is expected to be made at the NATO summit in June.
The EU is also discussing higher defense spending. According to the EU Commission, €500 billion ($523 billion) will be needed over the next 10 years. Where the money could come from is still being debated.
Ideas range from joint debt, which Germany’s current chancellor, Olaf Scholz, vehemently rejects, to relaxing the European Stability Pact, an EU-wide agreement on maintaining the stability of the Economic and Monetary Union.
As Germany is the largest economy in the EU, the new government will have an important role to play.
Even before the EU institutions officially commented on the election results in their largest member state, Merz already gave indications he supports greater defense spending. In a TV debate with chairmen of the Christian Democrats, he declared that his “absolute priority” would be to “strengthen Europe in such a way that, step by step, we achieve independence from the US.”
For French President Emmanuel Macron, who has long championed his concept of “strategic autonomy.” Merz’s approach should go down particularly well. On X, Macron announced that he had called Merz on the evening of the election. He also wrote that France and Germany “were more determined than ever to work towards a strong and sovereign Europe.”
This article was originally published in German.
