Merkel admits policy mistakes on defense, climate, and immigration

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reflected on her time in office, admitting that her governments made mistakes, particularly in the areas of defense, climate, and immigration.

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Looking back, we were not fast enough.

In an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Merkel stated, "Looking back, we were not fast enough" regarding defense spending, noting that while the budget increased, progress was insufficient to meet NATO's 2% GDP target. She characterized this as a "weakness," though she maintained that the decisions made were appropriate for the security situation at the time. Merkel also acknowledged shortcomings in climate policy, saying, "I cannot say that we did enough in relation to what would have been necessary," and described Germany as "too slow" in digitalization.

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I cannot say that we did enough in relation to what would have been necessary.

Addressing immigration policy, Merkel defended her government's actions, stating, "we achieved a lot, but of course, we did not manage everything 100%, which is to be expected, given the large numbers of migrants arriving daily in Germany." She highlighted the EU-Turkey agreement as instrumental in reducing arrivals. Merkel conceded that her refugee policies contributed to the rise of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, stating, "The AfD emerged against the backdrop of my policies during the euro crisis, and of course, my decision contributed to the new rise of the AfD in the polls."

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we achieved a lot, but of course, we did not manage everything 100%, which is to be expected, given the large numbers of migrants arriving daily in Germany.

Despite her criticisms, Merkel expressed support for the current government, urging patience for Chancellor Merz and his coalition. She pointed to key decisions already made on defense spending, infrastructure, and pensions, and affirmed her confidence in the government's ability to enact necessary reforms, especially in healthcare. Merkel also commented on the difficult international landscape, citing new U.S. policy towards Europe, the war in Ukraine, and the impact of artificial intelligence, emphasizing that "politics is a continuous process." She reiterated that she could not mediate an end to the war in Ukraine, as only those in political power can negotiate with the Russian president.

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The AfD emerged against the backdrop of my policies during the euro crisis, and of course, my decision contributed to the new rise of the AfD in the polls.