Overview
- Merz has ruled out an independent German nuclear arsenal but said Bundeswehr aircraft could be made available for potential French or British nuclear missions, citing the Two‑plus‑Four Treaty and the Non‑Proliferation Treaty.
- In a political Ash Wednesday speech in Trier, he urged Europe to be ready to defend its freedom, denounced the AfD, and criticized the Greens for moves in the European Parliament affecting the Mercosur deal.
- He has endorsed exploring legal restrictions or even blocks on under‑18s using TikTok and Instagram, with the CDU set to debate the proposal as the federal government awaits an expert commission’s recommendations due in summer 2026.
- The party congress opens with a vote on his continuation as CDU chair, as reporting points to dissatisfaction in the ranks and weaker support than in past leadership tallies, with Merkel expected in the hall for his speech.
- With Baden‑Württemberg voting on 8 March, recent polling shows the Union leading the Greens in a contest widely treated as a national barometer for both parties.