Merz urges German coalition to push ahead after turbulent first year

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on his government to remain united and continue working to overcome mounting challenges, as the conservative-led coalition marked a turbulent first year in office often characterized by infighting.

Looking back on the past 12 months, Merz thanked Cabinet members for their efforts at the start of a meeting on Wednesday, according to deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille.

Merz expressed hope that "future cooperation will be characterized by a spirit of collegiality and mutual trust" and that there will be "no shortage of optimism."

The chancellor also drove home the importance of the alliance's survival, Hille said. "There is no alternative to this coalition," he quoted Merz as telling his ministers.

Merz's conservative bloc entered into a coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) after coming out on top in national elections in February 2025.

The snap vote had been called after the collapse of the previous SPD-led administration, which was notoriously plagued by infighting, particularly over how to boost the ailing economy.

While the new coalition that took office on May 6, 2025, was theoretically more closely aligned ideologically, Merz got off to a rough start when he became the first chancellor in post-war Germany to need two tries to be confirmed in parliament.

Several lawmakers from within the coalition's own ranks initially withheld their support in what some observers say foreshadowed the fractious nature of the incoming alliance.

Things did not get easier for the chancellor in the coming months, much of which he spent on the international stage as he sought to reaffirm Germany's leadership role in Europe and beyond.

While Merz was lauded for reaffirming German support for Ukraine while appearing to forge good relations with Donald Trump - an achievement that has been put to the test by his candid criticism of the war in Iran - the focus on foreign affairs also sparked criticism at home, with some accusing Merz of neglecting urgent domestic challenges including the struggling economy.

In the following months, the conservatives and the SPD repeatedly struggled to find consensus over a range of issues, from social security reforms to public finances as well as measures to ease the burden on consumers amid soaring energy prices triggered by the Iran war.

One year after taking office, public perception of the coalition's work is dominated by discord, with 55% of Germans expecting the alliance to collapse before the next scheduled election in 2029, according to a YouGov poll.

Asked about alternatives, 29% said a minority government would be preferable to the current coalition.

A minority government could emerge if Merz were to dismiss SPD ministers or if they resigned, leaving his conservative bloc to govern with shifting parliamentary support. Merz has ruled out such a scenario.

As approval ratings for the governing parties declines, support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been soaring, with the party having taken a clear lead over Merz's conservatives in several recent surveys.

Merz on Wednesday again ruled out working with the anti-immigrant party, which was classified as a confirmed extremist organization by domestic intelligence last year - a label the party is challenging in court.

“I have made up my mind, and I will say this very clearly and unequivocally: I will not hand our country over to radical forces. I will not do it," Merz said.

He again called on the SPD to be more open to compromise, claiming he had been "very patient" with the junior coalition partner over the past 12 months.

"And that is precisely why it is now time for greater flexibility and a greater willingness to compromise, including on the part of the SPD."

Merz acknowledged that the first year of his term had been a challenging time, but stressed the coalition has managed to get a whole range of important initiatives off the ground.