You are ten times more likely to see a blue moon than you are to see me agreeing with what a Conservative politician says or does but there are rare occasions when it happens; former Prime Minister David Cameron legalising gay marriage, Boris Johnson’s steadfast support for Ukraine to name two examples. The latest one, however, comes not from a British politician but from the man who is likely to be Germany’s next chancellor: Friedrich Merz. The agreeable position in question is Merz’s call for “independence from the USA”.
What’s happening in Germany?
Germany has just had federal elections in which they have voted for a change in government. The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) led by Olaf Scholz lost to the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD – Alternative für Deutschland) won 20.8% of the national vote and 152 seats in the Bundestag – Germany’s parliament. Led by Alice Weidel, the party is a far-right populist and eurosceptic party which is pro-Trump and pro-Musk.
America’s role
Since taking office in January, Donald Trump has been at odds with Europe. He has labelled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and accused him of starting the war with Russia and has cosied up to far-right leaders across Europe, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. He has gone further in attacking the British Government and making threats against the United Kingdom and its economy while proposing to take over Greenland and clear out Gaza of its native population. Meanwhile, his key ally Elon Musk has been attending AfD rallies in Germany and reportedly considering large donations for Reform UK at the same time as denouncing its leader Nigel Farage and calling for Tommy Robinson to be freed from prison.
All of this points to two things: the office of the 47th President of the United States is becoming unhinged and unpredictable and their interference in the politics of other sovereign nations has become extreme and unacceptable – not that foreign interference in the politics of other sovereign nations was ever acceptable.
What should Britain do?
So, when Friedrich Merz calls for “independence from the USA” through his “priority to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible”, it is a call that Britain must answer as well. Brexit failed. When leaving the European Union, the inevitable happened as prices for ordinary people soared and things like travel and international cooperation became a lot more difficult. The politicians did nothing to even try make anything good come out of it, instead turning to rely on the United States of America for everything; swapping one “reliance” for another.
Now, in the days where Russia is waging war against a sovereign European country and America is throwing threats of economic harm like snowballs in between its officials interfering in the politics of other nations, it is extremely unwise to be isolated. The European Union must come together further and strengthen itself and Britain must be part of that.
The days of the British Empire are over and trying to take on world powers alone will only hurt the country in the long term, if not the short term too. Britain can still be a strong and relevant nation but instead of trying to be a world power, it should unite with an alliance of 27 other nations and be part of the globally powerful European Union, giving its voice on the world stage along with its continental friends.
Merz is right to call for a strengthened Europe and an end to reliance on the USA. It is one of the rare occasions when I agree with a Conservative politician. But Britain must follow suit. I don’t say this lightly as I value alliances and friendships with all. However, the special relationship between the UK and the USA looks set to become toast; not because of the British Government, nor the British people nor the American people. The extremists who have taken over the White House are responsible for this and their reckless rhetoric has played every part in it. Britain must follow Germany in aspirations for a strengthened Europe if it wants to have any chance of stability and security in the future.
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
