“It’s incomprehensible to me…” says Merz to the Left and the AfD and then quotes Pope Benedict XVI.

In his government statement before the EU summit, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) accused the Left and the AfD of trivializing the threat from Russia. “It is incomprehensible to me how you from the far left and the far right are playing the game of trivialization to this day,” said Merz in the Bundestag on Wednesday. “You get the impression: They want chaos.” The parties addressed hoped to benefit from this, said the Chancellor.

He also campaigned for more equal opportunities and justice in Germany. In his speech, Merz referred to Pope Benedict XVI, who said in the Bundestag in September 2011: “Politics must strive for justice.” It is difficult to create fair conditions, said Merz. At the same time, he referred to epochal upheavals, crises and wars. “In Germany, neither the pillar of justice nor the pillar of security is fully sustainable.”

Justice is not a matter for just one party. “It is the responsibility of every sensible party in Germany,” said the Chancellor. At the same time, he explained: "For us, justice is not expropriation. For us, justice is not redistribution at the expense of the top performers in our country." He added: “Above all, for us, justice does not come through the exclusion of minorities.”

Topics at the meeting starting Thursday in Brussels include the situation in the Middle East, China's large export surpluses, high energy prices and continued support for Ukraine. In light of US President Donald Trump's recent statements, Merz is likely to reaffirm his commitment to further help Ukraine in its defense against the Russian war of aggression.