Rob Schmitz

I want to point out here that Germany has long considered the U.S. as its most important ally, so this is truly an astonishing statement from an incoming German chancellor.

I want to point out here that Germany has long considered the U.S. as its most important ally, so this is truly an astonishing statement from an incoming German chancellor.

I want to point out here that Germany has long considered the U.S. as its most important ally, so this is truly an astonishing statement from an incoming German chancellor.

No, you know, Germany's parties in the political center have vowed never to govern with AFD, the party's acronym in German. The AFD is under domestic surveillance for the threat it poses to Germany's democracy, and its members routinely trivialize German atrocities in World War II.

No, you know, Germany's parties in the political center have vowed never to govern with AFD, the party's acronym in German. The AFD is under domestic surveillance for the threat it poses to Germany's democracy, and its members routinely trivialize German atrocities in World War II.

No, you know, Germany's parties in the political center have vowed never to govern with AFD, the party's acronym in German. The AFD is under domestic surveillance for the threat it poses to Germany's democracy, and its members routinely trivialize German atrocities in World War II.

Last night, Merz derided the AFD, saying it was not interested in real solutions and that the AFD is happy to see Germany's problems get worse. He also criticized the AFD for its cozy relationship with Elon Musk.

Last night, Merz derided the AFD, saying it was not interested in real solutions and that the AFD is happy to see Germany's problems get worse. He also criticized the AFD for its cozy relationship with Elon Musk.

Last night, Merz derided the AFD, saying it was not interested in real solutions and that the AFD is happy to see Germany's problems get worse. He also criticized the AFD for its cozy relationship with Elon Musk.

Well, the party's co-chair, Alice Weidel, said Merz's incoming government will not last long. Here's what she said. So she's saying here Merz won't be able to form a stable government without the AFD and that he will face the consequences when his government crashes and fails. But will Merz have a stable government? So I posed that question to the U.S. German Marshall Fund's Suda David Wilp.

Well, the party's co-chair, Alice Weidel, said Merz's incoming government will not last long. Here's what she said. So she's saying here Merz won't be able to form a stable government without the AFD and that he will face the consequences when his government crashes and fails. But will Merz have a stable government? So I posed that question to the U.S. German Marshall Fund's Suda David Wilp.

Well, the party's co-chair, Alice Weidel, said Merz's incoming government will not last long. Here's what she said. So she's saying here Merz won't be able to form a stable government without the AFD and that he will face the consequences when his government crashes and fails. But will Merz have a stable government? So I posed that question to the U.S. German Marshall Fund's Suda David Wilp.

Here's what she said.

Here's what she said.

Here's what she said.

So she said what this means is that Merz's incoming government will need to move toward the right to address voter concerns like migration and a slowing German economy. And it's clear Germans really care about these things because voter turnout was 84 percent. That is the highest turnout since Germany's reunification in 1990. That's NPR's Rob Schmitz. Rob, thanks.

So she said what this means is that Merz's incoming government will need to move toward the right to address voter concerns like migration and a slowing German economy. And it's clear Germans really care about these things because voter turnout was 84 percent. That is the highest turnout since Germany's reunification in 1990. That's NPR's Rob Schmitz. Rob, thanks.

So she said what this means is that Merz's incoming government will need to move toward the right to address voter concerns like migration and a slowing German economy. And it's clear Germans really care about these things because voter turnout was 84 percent. That is the highest turnout since Germany's reunification in 1990. That's NPR's Rob Schmitz. Rob, thanks.

Friedrich Merz, the leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union Party, is cooperating with the Alternative for Germany Party, or AFD, on a parliamentary motion to restrict immigration into the country. The move is being criticized because the AFD is considered to be an extremist party that is under domestic surveillance for the threat it poses to Germany's democracy.

Friedrich Merz, the leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union Party, is cooperating with the Alternative for Germany Party, or AFD, on a parliamentary motion to restrict immigration into the country. The move is being criticized because the AFD is considered to be an extremist party that is under domestic surveillance for the threat it poses to Germany's democracy.