Germany’s Merz welcomes Starmer’s interest in closer post-Brexit EU relations

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The likely new German chancellor has welcomed Sir Keir Starmer’s interest in resetting European Union relations following Brexit.

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany’s centre-right conservative party (CDU), is set to become the country’s new chancellor after provisional results confirmed his mainstream conservatives had won the national election.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday following his victory, Mr Merz said: "I very much welcome the fact that Great Britain is once again seeking proximity to Europe, to the European Union.”

He added the two had spoken several times in the last few weeks.

Earlier on Monday, Sir Keir congratulated Mr Merz and his party on its victory.

"I look forward to working with the new government to deepen our already strong relationship, enhance our joint security and deliver growth for both our countries,” the prime minister wrote on X, formally Twitter.

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Time is pressing for Europe's ailing largest economy, with Germans divided over migration, its security caught between a confrontational US and an assertive Russia and China.

Mr Merz's conservative bloc wants to ally with Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), who came in third, after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to a historic second place.

The CDU leader also questioned the reliability of the United States as an ally, following similar comments on Sunday evening.

Europeans must now act together swiftly to organise their own defence capability and not just rely on Washington, he said. "... This really is five minutes to midnight for Europe."

On Sunday, Mr Merz had criticised what he called "outrageous" comments from Washington during the election campaign, comparing them to hostile interventions from Moscow.

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He also warned Washington not to create divisions by offering preferential tariffs to some European Union members.

Britain’s Liberal Democrats echoed calls from the likely new German chancellor, adding Mr Merz said the “quiet part out loud”.

Caroline Voaden, Lib Dem MP who was the party's leader in the European Parliament 2019/20, told The Independent: "Germany’s new Chancellor has said the quiet part out loud: Europe can no longer rely on America for its security and must forge its own path. Let us hope the Prime Minister was listening.

“Since our election, Labour has been tentative about reestablishing closer ties with Europe, but the events of the past week must provide the impetus to speed these negotiations up.

“A new world order is forming, and the UK cannot afford to be left behind. With America turning its back on Europe, we must look to align ourselves with a strong EU to combat the threat of Russian aggression.”