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Dear Chancellor Merz,
You assumed office at a difficult moment for Germany.
The country has faced years of weak economic growth, rising energy costs, growing concerns about migration, increasing geopolitical uncertainty, and declining confidence in the ability of government institutions to solve long-standing problems.
From your first days in office, you made several priorities clear: restoring economic competitiveness, reducing irregular migration, strengthening Germany's armed forces, and increasing Germany's influence within Europe.
One of the strengths of your chancellorship has been clarity. Unlike many politicians who avoid difficult subjects, you have spoken openly about Germany's economic problems. You acknowledged that parts of the German economy are in a critical condition and that Germany faces serious challenges related to competitiveness, taxation, bureaucracy, labour costs and energy costs.
Your government has also moved to tighten migration policy. Border controls, restrictions on some migration pathways and efforts to reduce irregular migration have responded to concerns held by a significant portion of the German public. According to government data, Germany has seen a reduction in asylum applications relative to previous years.
You have also sought to strengthen Germany's role within Europe, advocating closer European cooperation, support for Ukraine, stronger defence capabilities and a more competitive European Union.
However, significant problems remain.
The most important is the economy.
Although your government has announced investment programmes, tax relief measures and reforms, many Germans still do not feel meaningful improvement in their daily lives. Economic confidence remains fragile, and Germany continues to struggle with slow growth and structural challenges affecting industry and competitiveness.
Your government has also faced criticism for creating expectations that may be difficult to fulfil. Statements regarding the large-scale return of Syrians to their homeland created controversy and raised questions about whether political messaging was running ahead of practical reality.
Public support for your government has also been weaker than many expected. Critics argue that despite numerous initiatives and legislative measures, public confidence has not recovered to the extent hoped for, and dissatisfaction remains high.
There have also been setbacks in foreign policy. Germany's failure to secure a seat on the United Nations Security Council was viewed by many observers as an unexpected diplomatic disappointment for a country that seeks a larger international role.
What I would like to see from your government in the future is not more announcements but more measurable results.
Germany does not primarily need new diagnoses of its problems. The problems are already well known.
Germany needs:
faster economic growth;
lower bureaucratic burdens;
affordable energy;
more housing construction;
effective migration management;
greater confidence in public institutions.
The success of your chancellorship will ultimately not be measured by speeches, coalition agreements, or legislative statistics.
It will be measured by whether ordinary Germans feel that their country became more prosperous, more secure, and more confident during your time in office.
My overall assessment:
3 out of 5.
You have shown seriousness, competence, and a willingness to confront difficult issues. However, many of the promised improvements remain works in progress, and the most important test—producing visible results in the lives of ordinary citizens—has not yet been fully passed.
Respectfully,
A Citizen of the World
You assumed office at a difficult moment for Germany.
The country has faced years of weak economic growth, rising energy costs, growing concerns about migration, increasing geopolitical uncertainty, and declining confidence in the ability of government institutions to solve long-standing problems.
From your first days in office, you made several priorities clear: restoring economic competitiveness, reducing irregular migration, strengthening Germany's armed forces, and increasing Germany's influence within Europe.
One of the strengths of your chancellorship has been clarity. Unlike many politicians who avoid difficult subjects, you have spoken openly about Germany's economic problems. You acknowledged that parts of the German economy are in a critical condition and that Germany faces serious challenges related to competitiveness, taxation, bureaucracy, labour costs and energy costs.
Your government has also moved to tighten migration policy. Border controls, restrictions on some migration pathways and efforts to reduce irregular migration have responded to concerns held by a significant portion of the German public. According to government data, Germany has seen a reduction in asylum applications relative to previous years.
You have also sought to strengthen Germany's role within Europe, advocating closer European cooperation, support for Ukraine, stronger defence capabilities and a more competitive European Union.
However, significant problems remain.
The most important is the economy.
Although your government has announced investment programmes, tax relief measures and reforms, many Germans still do not feel meaningful improvement in their daily lives. Economic confidence remains fragile, and Germany continues to struggle with slow growth and structural challenges affecting industry and competitiveness.
Your government has also faced criticism for creating expectations that may be difficult to fulfil. Statements regarding the large-scale return of Syrians to their homeland created controversy and raised questions about whether political messaging was running ahead of practical reality.
Public support for your government has also been weaker than many expected. Critics argue that despite numerous initiatives and legislative measures, public confidence has not recovered to the extent hoped for, and dissatisfaction remains high.
There have also been setbacks in foreign policy. Germany's failure to secure a seat on the United Nations Security Council was viewed by many observers as an unexpected diplomatic disappointment for a country that seeks a larger international role.
What I would like to see from your government in the future is not more announcements but more measurable results.
Germany does not primarily need new diagnoses of its problems. The problems are already well known.
Germany needs:
faster economic growth;
lower bureaucratic burdens;
affordable energy;
more housing construction;
effective migration management;
greater confidence in public institutions.
The success of your chancellorship will ultimately not be measured by speeches, coalition agreements, or legislative statistics.
It will be measured by whether ordinary Germans feel that their country became more prosperous, more secure, and more confident during your time in office.
My overall assessment:
3 out of 5.
You have shown seriousness, competence, and a willingness to confront difficult issues. However, many of the promised improvements remain works in progress, and the most important test—producing visible results in the lives of ordinary citizens—has not yet been fully passed.
Respectfully,
A Citizen of the World
Addressee-language version: German
Sehr geehrter Herr Kanzler Merz,Sie haben Ihr Amt in einem schwierigen Moment für Deutschland angetreten.
Das Land hat Jahre schwachen Wirtschaftswachstums, steigender Energiekosten, wachsender Besorgnis über Migration, zunehmender geopolitischer Unsicherheit und schwindenden Vertrauens in die Fähigkeit staatlicher Institutionen, langjährige Probleme zu lösen, erlebt.
Seit Ihren ersten Amtstagen haben Sie mehrere Prioritäten klar benannt: die Wiederherstellung der wirtschaftlichen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit, die Reduzierung irregulärer Migration, die Stärkung der deutschen Streitkräfte und die Erhöhung des deutschen Einflusses innerhalb Europas.
Eine Stärke Ihrer Kanzlerschaft war Klarheit. Anders als viele Politiker, die schwierige Themen meiden, haben Sie offen über Deutschlands wirtschaftliche Probleme gesprochen. Sie haben anerkannt, dass Teile der deutschen Wirtschaft sich in einem kritischen Zustand befinden und dass Deutschland ernste Herausforderungen in Bezug auf Wettbewerbsfähigkeit, Besteuerung, Bürokratie, Arbeitskosten und Energiekosten gegenübersteht.
Ihre Regierung hat auch die Migrationspolitik verschärft. Grenzkontrollen, Beschränkungen bestimmter Migrationswege und Maßnahmen zur Verringerung irregulärer Migration haben auf die Sorgen eines bedeutenden Teils der deutschen Öffentlichkeit reagiert. Laut Regierungsangaben ist die Zahl der Asylanträge im Vergleich zu früheren Jahren zurückgegangen.
Sie haben auch versucht, die Rolle Deutschlands in Europa zu stärken, indem Sie engere europäische Zusammenarbeit, Unterstützung für die Ukraine, stärkere Verteidigungsfähigkeiten und eine wettbewerbsfähigere Europäische Union befürwortet haben.
Dennoch bleiben erhebliche Probleme.
Am wichtigsten ist die Wirtschaft.
Obwohl Ihre Regierung Investitionsprogramme, steuerliche Entlastungen und Reformen angekündigt hat, spüren viele Deutsche noch keine wesentliche Verbesserung in ihrem Alltag. Das wirtschaftliche Vertrauen bleibt fragil, und Deutschland kämpft weiterhin mit langsamem Wachstum und strukturellen Herausforderungen, die Industrie und Wettbewerbsfähigkeit betreffen.
Ihre Regierung ist auch dafür kritisiert worden, Erwartungen zu wecken, die schwer zu erfüllen sein könnten. Äußerungen zur großangelegten Rückführung von Syrern in ihre Heimat lösten Kontroversen aus und warfen Fragen auf, ob die politische Kommunikation der praktischen Realität vorauslief.
Die öffentliche Unterstützung für Ihre Regierung war ebenfalls schwächer als viele erwartet hatten. Kritiker argumentieren, dass trotz zahlreicher Initiativen und gesetzgeberischer Maßnahmen das öffentliche Vertrauen nicht in dem erhofften Umfang zurückgekehrt sei und die Unzufriedenheit weiterhin hoch bleibe.
Auch in der Außenpolitik hat es Rückschläge gegeben. Dass Deutschland keinen Sitz im Sicherheitsrat der Vereinten Nationen erringen konnte, wurde von vielen Beobachtern als unerwartete diplomatische Enttäuschung für ein Land gewertet, das eine größere internationale Rolle anstrebt.
Was ich mir künftig von Ihrer Regierung wünsche, sind nicht weitere Ankündigungen, sondern mehr messbare Ergebnisse.
Deutschland benötigt in erster Linie keine neuen Diagnosen seiner Probleme. Die Probleme sind bereits gut bekannt.
Deutschland braucht:
schnelleres Wirtschaftswachstum;
geringere bürokratische Belastungen;
erschwingliche Energie;
mehr Wohnungsbau;
effektives Migrationsmanagement;
größeres Vertrauen in öffentliche Institutionen.
Der Erfolg Ihrer Kanzlerschaft wird letztlich nicht an Reden, Koalitionsvereinbarungen oder gesetzgeberischen Statistiken gemessen werden.
Er wird daran gemessen werden, ob gewöhnliche Deutsche das Gefühl haben, dass ihr Land während Ihrer Amtszeit wohlhabender, sicherer und selbstbewusster geworden ist.
Meine Gesamtbewertung:
3 von 5.
Sie haben Ernsthaftigkeit, Kompetenz und die Bereitschaft gezeigt, schwierige Fragen anzugehen. Allerdings bleiben viele der versprochenen Verbesserungen noch im Gange, und die wichtigste Prüfung — nämlich sichtbare Ergebnisse im Leben gewöhnlicher Bürger zu erzielen — wurde noch nicht vollständig bestanden.
Hochachtungsvoll,
Ein Bürger der Welt