Friedrich Merz’s first steps as Germany’s new Chancellor mark the beginning of a new chapter in European politics. Just days after his inaugural visits to Paris, Warsaw and Brussels, this discussion will offer insights into how Merz’s leadership is being received in key European capitals. The event will also follow the recent Franco-Polish summit and the signing of the Nancy Treaty, a bilateral agreement signaling closer cooperation between France and Poland.
Framed within the context of the Weimar Triangle - a unique diplomatic framework bringing together Germany, France, and Poland - this event will explore the evolving and future relations among the three countries and what lies ahead. How is Merz’s mandate being shaped and perceived from a European perspective? What direction will the EU’s historic Franco-German engine take under his leadership? In what ways can Poland act as a strategic partner in strengthening this engine? And what emerging common priorities are shaping the Weimar partners’ response to European challenges?
Participation is open to EPC members only, the media, and EU officials