Friedrich Merz and the Zeitenwende 2.0. A “New Era” for Transatlantic Relations?

On February 23, 2025, almost 60 million voters were called upon to elect a new Bundestag. These elections will also give rise to a new government in Europe's largest economy.

With the next coalition in place around a likely future Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Germany hopes to regain stability. There is also the question of what role Germany will play within the European Union, and what direction it wishes to take towards the United States following Donald Trump's return to the White House.
At a time when the coming years will be decisive for the affirmation of Europe's role in the world order and for its security, will the future German government seek to portray itself as resolutely pro-European, or will it be anxious to defend its own interests? What new Franco-German dynamic could emerge?
Marie Krpata is Research Fellow at the Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) at the French Institute of International Relations – Ifri, where she dedicates her research activities to the European Union and the external relations of the Franco-German couple.
This publication is available:
- French: Friedrich Merz et la Zeitenwende 2.0. Une « nouvelle ère » pour les relations transatlantiques ?.
- German: Friedrich Merz und die „Zeitenwende 2.0“: Eine „neue Ära“ für die transatlantischen Beziehungen?.
Available in:
Themes and regions
ISBN / ISSN
Share
Download the full analysis
This page contains only a summary of our work. If you would like to have access to all the information from our research on the subject, you can download the full version in PDF format.
Friedrich Merz and the Zeitenwende 2.0. A “New Era” for Transatlantic Relations?
Related centers and programs
Discover our other research centers and programsFind out more
Discover all our analysesA Franco-German “Reset”? The Ambitions of the Franco-German Council of Ministers. Challenges of Joint Leadership in Europe
As a Catholic from the Rhineland, Friedrich Merz is heir to the CDU’s Franco-German policy, from Konrad Adenauer to Helmut Kohl and Wolfgang Schäuble. While Franco-German rhetoric and reflexes are deeply ingrained in him, their results must nevertheless be put into perspective.
Social Policies in Germany. Assessment of the “Traffic Light” Coalition and Prospects for the New Government
Notes du Cerfa, No. 188, Ifri, July 2025 — The defeat of the “traffic light” governing coalition in the snap parliamentary elections of February 2025 calls for an initial – necessarily selective – assessment of the social policies implemented during its term.
The “Huawei Saga” in Europe Revisited: German Lessons for the Rollout of 6G
While the European Union attempted to coordinate a collective response through its 5G Toolbox in Europe’s 5G infrastructure, member states diverged significantly in balancing political, economic, and technological considerations. Germany, despite its economic ties to China and status as Europe’s largest telecom market, only reached a tentative agreement in July 2024—one that appears largely symbolic.
France, the U.S. Oldest and Most Complicated Ally: A Stubborn Defender of a Truly European Industrial and Defence Policy
France, the U.S.’ oldest ally, is also the EU country which most stubbornly defends genuinely European industrial and defence policies. It calls for ‘strategic autonomy’ in all political domains, a position increasingly difficult to hold against a hardening international climate.