Stefan Evers, the commissioner for the CDU in Berlin, has expressed doubts regarding whether Friedrich Merz is still the right person to serve as Chancellor. Speaking to the “Tagesspiegel” (Monday edition), Evers stated that every prominent politician must continually assess if a point has been reached where their own convictions might hinder their efforts rather than advancing them.
However, Evers emphasized that Merz does not require his advice concerning whether this point has been reached. The CDU politician criticized his party leader, pointing to perceived deficits in empathy and relatability, warning that disappointed expectations and hopes erode political credibility and trust.
Evers, who is a CDU politician and currently serves as a finance senator in Berlin, observed that the root of the Chancellor’s crisis of confidence dates back to the spring of 2025. At that time, the CDU and the SPD had agreed during government formation talks to loosen the debt brake and establish a substantial, debt-funded special fund of 500 billion euros for infrastructure. Evers questioned why the situation after the recent election was the polar opposite of what Friedrich Merz had labeled a red line just days earlier. He further advised that all political leaders should be more cautious about the expectations they create.
In light of the Chancellor’s poor polling figures, Evers remarked that many people are extremely frustrated with the performance of the federal government. He added that public dissatisfaction often isn’t based on policy content, but rather on the behavior of individual persons.
