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2026-07-15 22:38:12
[German Chancellor: US Tariffs Hinder German Economic Reforms] German Chancellor Merz stated at his annual summer press conference in Berlin on July 15th that the reforms being pushed forward by the German government are "taking longer than expected." Merz indicated that this is not only related to the German government itself but also influenced by US tariff policies. He said that the economic recovery momentum that initially appeared at the beginning of the current government's term has been impacted by US tariff policies, severely weakening the recovery prospects. Furthermore, Merz stated that the German government's decision to significantly increase its debt is based on changes in the diplomatic and security situation, particularly the situation in Ukraine and the actions of "some partners in the world" towards Ukraine, prompting the German government to readjust its fiscal policy. Although Merz did not directly name any relevant countries or leaders in his speech, it is widely interpreted that he was referring to US President Trump. Merz stated that he had proposed discussing a "debt brake" mechanism before the federal election, but after the election, he believes that the current international security environment requires Germany to adopt a different approach than in the past. He also acknowledged that the large-scale increase in debt has put pressure on his "personal credibility," hoping to compensate through tangible results such as improving defense capabilities and enhancing economic competitiveness, and indicated that the possibility of further modifying Germany's "debt brake" system is low. (CCTV News)
