World

Friedrich Merz Delivers Mid-Term Assessment at First Summer Press Conference in Berlin

Herz — World Desk · 15 July 2026 at 14:23 · 30s summary · 4 min read

The essentials

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) held his first summer press conference on July 15, 2026, in Berlin. Declaring the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition "has found its rhythm," he acknowledged reforms progress more slowly than expected. Merz defended increased federal borrowing citing Russia's war against Ukraine, reaffirmed categorical refusal to cooperate with the AfD or Die Linke ahead of eastern regional elections, and admitted poor polling with no current electoral majority. Regarding constitutional debt brake reform, an expert commission will present proposals, but constitutional change requires unified coalition consensus and broader parliamentary support—both currently absent.

Merz states coalition has found its rhythm but reforms progress slower than expected
Chancellor acknowledges poor polling and no current electoral majority for coalition
Categorical refusal to cooperate with AfD or Die Linke in eastern regional elections
New federal debt defended on basis of Russia's war against Ukraine
Constitutional debt brake reform remains uncertain without political consensus

Friedrich Merz dresse un bilan mi-mandat lors de sa première conférence de presse estivale à Berlin — Michael Lucan, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, Wikimedia Commons

What We Know

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) held his first summer press conference (Sommerpressekonferenz) at the Bundespressekonferenz—an independent association of parliamentary journalists based in Berlin—on July 15, 2026. During approximately two hours with no imposed thematic framework, the chancellor freely answered questions from accredited journalists.

Merz presented an overall positive assessment, stating: "The coalition has found its rhythm." He claimed the government had "delivered," while admitting there remained "much more to do."

The coalition has found its rhythm.
— Friedrich Merz, Federal Chancellor, summer press conference, Berlin, July 15, 2026

Mid-Term Assessment: Achievements and Acknowledged Limits

Among accomplishments, Merz cited reform of the gesetzliche Krankenversicherung (statutory health insurance). He acknowledged, however, that reforms are taking longer than "anticipated" and that Germany has not yet reached the level of economic competitiveness desired.

Poor polling worries him, he admitted. Unfulfilled expectations from the population exist, and there is currently no electoral majority supporting the coalition. Merz characterized this situation as a "spur" to continue working.

Collaboration between ministries and with SPD co-chairs Lars Klingbeil and Bärbel Bas is functioning well, he indicated.

The AfD: Reaffirmed Firewall Before Regional Elections

With regional elections in eastern Germany approaching—Saxony-Anhalt was mentioned—Merz reiterated categorical refusal of any agreement with the Alternative for Germany (AfD, a far-right political party founded in 2013) or with Die Linke. This stance relies on CDU party congress resolutions. He expressed optimism in preventing an AfD majority in regional parliaments.

Merz distinguished between AfD leadership—targets of his opposition—and the party's voters, whom he invited not to rely solely on social media for information. He rejected the idea of integrating the AfD into a coalition to "domesticate" it, citing the specificity of German history.

Budget: Defense of New Debt and Uncertainties on the Debt Brake

Merz defended recourse to substantial Neuverschuldung (new federal borrowing) in the federal budget, citing Russia's war against Ukraine. He acknowledged that this shift represents a "significant burden on his personal credibility," but deemed it acceptable if Germany remains a "stabilizing force" in the European monetary union while simultaneously reducing bureaucracy.

Regarding reform of the Schuldenbremse—a rule inscribed in the Basic Law since 2009 that caps structural federal deficit at 0.35% of GDP—Merz judged the situation difficult. An expert commission will present two or three proposals. Any constitutional revision would require unified coalition position—currently absent—as well as support from the Greens and other parliamentary groups.