BERLIN: Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for unity in his struggling coalition, saying Germany faced growing threats from political extremists and what he described as daily Russian efforts to destabilise the country. Speaking at a conference of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party of his conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), Merz said Germany faced "extraordinarily serious challenges". "How do we safeguard our freedom and our security in Europe, in the face of growing threats from extremists within and foreign powers from without?" he said, adding that Russia was seeking "to destabilise Germany on a daily basis".
Relations between Berlin and Moscow have fallen to their lowest level since the Cold War following Russia's 2022 attack of Ukraine but Russia rejects accusations that it is conducting a hybrid campaign against Germany and other European countries.
Merz's comments follow weeks of tension with the ruling coalition after heavy regional election defeats in eastern Germany, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) came first in two states and the far-left Left Party topped the poll in Berlin. Merz's approval ratings have fallen to record lows, while tensions have surfaced both between the coalition partners and between the CDU and CSU. — Reuters
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