Before the meeting of the European Council, Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the CDU flatly rejected the possibility of new European debt. Merz stated in Brussels on Thursday, “I have made it clear from my perspective: There can be no further European debt. The budget must be balanced, and for that reason, we will have to make a major effort in the second half of the year to approve the budget for the years starting in 2028.” During the meeting between European heads of state and government on Friday, there is planned to be an orientation debate regarding the creation of the EU’s multi-year financial framework.
The CDU politician furthermore declared his intention to “systematically de-develop and dismantle European bureaucracy.” He added that this would happen step by step over a long period of time. “But it will succeed, and we will discuss the competitive situation with the entire world,” Merz promised.
Regarding allegations that EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner Kaja Kallas supposedly compared Israel’s handling of the Palestinian territories behind closed doors with the South African Apartheid regime, Merz emphasized that he does not explicitly share that phrasing. He noted, “We will also have to discuss that, but it is a topic that still needs to be thoroughly debated in the European Council. But once again: I do not explicitly share that wording.”
