As the curtain comes down on one tragedy, there is perhaps an even worse tragedy preparing to take the stage. Friedrich Merz, the leading contender to replace Scholz as Chancellor, is a self-proclaimed “Trans-Atlanticist”, a supporter of NATO and the EU, a super war hawk — and the former chair of the supervisory board of BlackRock Germany. He is also an “economic liberal”, a supporter of free trade, which favors the global corporate establishment. With the German economy being de-industrialized, how will he deal with the budget? Austerity — except for continuing to fund the war in Ukraine.
