German chancellor acknowledges internal disputes slowing down government performance

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged that his governing coalition, which has frequently made headlines due to internal disputes, could improve its performance.

“Dispute is part of democracy,” Merz said at the 104th German Catholic Day in the southern city of Würzburg, dpa reports.

“But the dispute needs to lead to results. And maybe we are currently fighting a bit too much and are not delivering enough results. That may be possible,” he conceded.

He added that tolerance “begins where one’s own opinion ends,” stressing the importance of whether political actors are listening to one another and working jointly toward solutions.

With the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) benefiting from rising opinion polls amid coalition tensions, Merz emphasized the need for centrist parties to focus on addressing the country’s key challenges.

His government, formed by his conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD), has struggled to establish common ground on several major policy issues since taking office in May last year, including social security and labour reforms, energy policy, and most recently measures to shield consumers from rising costs linked to the Iran war.

The coalition’s infighting has been closely watched in Germany, particularly in light of the collapse of the previous SPD-led government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which broke down after prolonged disputes over how to support the struggling economy.

Merz also defended democratic governance, stating: “Things move faster under a dictatorship, but they usually go wrong. And that is why we must work together to reconcile ourselves with our democracy. We have created something truly magnificent here,” he said.

By Vafa Guliyeva