Germany news: CDU re-elects Chancellor Merz as party leader

DW News · Feb 20, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Skip next section Merz takes aim at far-right AfDFebruary 20, 2026Merz takes aim at far-right AfDMerz criticized his party's main challenger, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)Image: Thomas Kienzle/AFP/Getty ImagesDuring the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party conference on Friday, Merz largely attacked his rivals on the right — according to him, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is characterized by nepotism, chaos and abuse of public office. "They act as if they were an alternative to the political center. In reality, they are serving their own interests," he said, referring to the AfD. At the same time, he warned against authoritarian tendencies in Germany saying that people could "long for security and order" and turn to authoritarianism in times of upheaval. "There is a fascination with this. But our history has shown us that this leads to misfortune," Merz said. Merz presented the coalition with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) as currently being without an alternative as both parties are the only ones in the political center. However, Germany and its social policy are facing a "paradigm shift." "We want this German welfare state," he stressed, while adding he believed the country urgently needed reforms. He said that the statutory pension as it exists today can only be "one building block" in the future, arguing that Germany also needs strong industrial and technological progress. After several years of recession, which have "left deep scars" in Germany, one thing is clear: "Germany must remain an industrialized country," Merz said.Merkel attended her first CDU party conference since leaving office in 2021Image: Edward Cheung/Eibner-Pressefoto/IMAGO Former Chancellor Angela Merkel was welcomed as a special guest at the Stuttgart conference. She had been absent from her own party's conferences for years. She attended now that her long-time political adversary, Friedrich Merz, was making his first appearance as chancellor, which many interpreted as a conciliatory gesture by the "grand dame" of German politics. Merkel, who is seen as representing the party's centrist wing, publicly chided Merz early in 2025 after the CDU relied on votes from the far-right AfD to pass a non-binding resolution on border policy in parliament. Merz — who was seen as a rival to Merkel before he took a long hiatus from politics and only came back after she resigned as party leader — belongs to the CDU's conservative wing. https://p.dw.com/p/59ATVSkip next section Strong result for Merz at party conferenceFebruary 20, 2026Strong result for Merz at party conferenceChancellor Merz was re-elected as CDU leader by an overwhelming majority of party delegatesImage: Thomas Kienzle/AFP/Getty ImagesGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been re-elected as party leader with 91.2% of the vote at the conservative Christian Democratic Union's party conference in Stuttgart. Such a strong result was not a foregone conclusion. Merz had previously given a speech focusing on foreign policy, in which he directly linked his domestic reform agenda to the global situation. "We are not at war, but we are no longer at peace either," Merz said in his opening remarks, drawing on a broad perspective both home and abroad. Merz spoke clearly about the widening gap between Germany and the United States — despite the political tension, the Americans are "our friends," he said in Stuttgart, "but the United States itself is losing interest in its role as a guarantor power, as a reliable peacemaker." He explained to some 1,000 delegates present at the conference what the end of the "rules-based order" and the "new era of strength — militar and economic" means for Germany. In a world that is becoming harsher and more dangerous, where rules no longer count, "the risk of conflict is growing and increasing," the chancellor warned. Merz received the loudest round of applause when he spoke about Ukraine: "We stand by the Ukrainian people, no ifs, ands, or buts." He also said that one would "never accept a criminal Russian system waging systematic war," including against women and children. "What is particularly unbearable is the Nazi propaganda against the Ukrainian people, who suffered like no other" under German occupation during World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin falsely claimed that the Ukrainian government was made up by neo-Nazis as grounds for Moscow's invasion. Friedrich Merz's first appearance as the German Chancellor at a party conference was well received. "He is not known for explaining himself and his actions, but here he did," said a CDU delegate from the workers' wing. Another CDU member from eastern Germany said, "I thought it was good that he admitted that he had promised too much at the beginning." https://p.dw.com/p/59ATESkip next section Conservative CDU re-elects Merz as party leaderFebruary 20, 2026Conservative CDU re-elects Merz as party leaderMerz won 878 of 963 votes from delegates at the party conference in StuttgartImage: Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture allianceGermany's ruling conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) re-elected Chancellor Friedrich Merz as its leader on Friday. Merz received 878 out of 963 votes from delegates at the party's congress in Stuttgart in southwestern Baden-Württemberg state. The chancellor is aiming to shore up his support ahead of multiple state elections. The far-right Alternative for Germany is polling ahead of Merz's CDU in the eastern states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Thuringia, which are to hold elections in September. While speaking at the Friday party congress, Merz said that the CDU must "prevent right-wing radicalism from moving back into the state chancelleries in Germany." https://p.dw.com/p/59ARpSkip next section WATCH — German government 'deeply concerned' about DW journalist's arrestFebruary 20, 2026WATCH — German government 'deeply concerned' about DW journalist's arrestAlican Uludag, a correspondent for DW's Turkish service who had been reporting on corruption for several years, has been arrested in Turkey. Authorities have searched Uludag's apartment and seized computer equipment. German gov't 'deeply concerned' about DW journalist's arrestTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/59A91Skip next section READ — Germany: Unreliable childcare forces parents into part-timeFebruary 20, 2026READ — Germany: Unreliable childcare forces parents into part-timeDue to staff shortages, closures and reduced operating hours at childcare centers, many women in Germany can not work full-time Image: Unai Huizi/imageBROKER/picture alliance Chancellor Merz has been calling on Germans to work more. This is practically impossible for many working parents as childcare centers battle with staff shortages and reduced operating hours. Read more about the story here. https://p.dw.com/p/599iOSkip next section READ — China overtakes US to become Germany's top trading partnerFebruary 20, 2026READ — China overtakes US to become Germany's top trading partnerChina has overtaken the US as Germany's most important trading partner, according to figures released by Germany's Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). China was Germany's most important trading partner from 2016 all the way through to 2023. In 2024, the US briefly held the title. Read more about the story here. https://p.dw.com/p/598zESkip next section EU Commission clears German takeover of Rosneft DeutschlandFebruary 20, 2026EU Commission clears German takeover of Rosneft DeutschlandSaim Dušan InayatullahGermany has been cleared by the European Commission to take sole control of Rosneft Deutschland — the German subsidiary of Russia's state-controlled oil company — citing no competition concerns. The Brussels authority approved the takeover by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, allowing Berlin to formalize control it had already exercised as trustee. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Germany placed Rosneft Deutschland under trusteeship and halted imports of Russian pipeline oil. The company's refinery in the eastern German city of Schwedt in Brandenburg state has been supplied with oil from various non-Russian sources since early 2023. The trusteeship has so far been extended in six-month intervals, with the current order running until March 10. The Economy Ministry said the arrangement was meant to safeguard energy security after crude oil suppliers signaled they might end business ties if control reverted to Rosneft. Rosneft Deutschland accounts for about 12% of Germany’s oil refining capacity, making it one of the country's largest refining companies.Germany and Ukraine launch first-ever joint drone productionTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/59964Skip next section Merz vows to defend transatlantic tiesFebruary 20, 2026Merz vows to defend transatlantic tiesGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged his party not to abandon the transatlantic partnership despite growing tensions with the US under President Donald Trump. Speaking at the CDU party congress in Stuttgart, Merz said that in a "beginning era of great powers" and rising unpredictability there is a need to redefine relations with "our American friends," adding: "We will not give up this friendship lightly. And we will always fight to ensure it endures." Merz pointed to his long personal and professional ties to the United States, saying the partnership has shaped much of his political, professional, and private life. "I know the country, I like the country, I like the people — most of them, at least, in America," he said, adding he does not want to give up believing that people there still share similar experiences, values, and culture. At the same time, Merz said it is true that the US is "increasingly losing interest in the role of guarantor of the intern