Germany’s conservative chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz, has advocated for Europe to show strength and take a tough stance during Donald Trump’s second term as U.S. president.

“This will make an impression in America,’’ Mr Merz told public broadcaster ZDF’s talk show hosted by Maybrit Illner on Thursday evening.

He said Europe must speak with one voice.

“Donald Trump is not impressed by weakness, only by strength, even opposition.’’

He said this is how Europe could deal with the new government in Washington.

Mr Merz is eyeing Germany’s top political job after the coalition of his rival, Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz, collapsed.

Mr Merz and others want Mr Scholz to call for an immediate vote of confidence in his now minority government and snap elections. Mr Scholz, so far, is sticking to his call for a confidence vote in January.

The leader of the Christian Democrats added that Germany must do more for its security.

Mr Merz said that the business model of importing cheaply, exporting expensively, and letting the U.S. pay for security is now over.

But he said, “That’s not so dramatic. We need to adjust to this, manage it, and take the necessary consequences.’’

Mr Merz also discussed Germany’s energy sector during the talk show, saying that wind power is a transitional technology that should be phased out because the turbines are “ugly.’’

“I even believe that if we do things right, one day we can dismantle the wind turbines because they are ugly and because they do not fit into the landscape.

“This is a transitional technology,’’ Mr Merz added.

Instead, he wants to look into testing nuclear fusion in Germany. He added that this sector should not be left to China.

Mr Merz is also considering reactivating Germany’s nuclear power plants, though he doubts this would be viable since the plants have already been decommissioned.

Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in March 2011, the German government decided to phase out nuclear power.

After Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the government decided to delay the decommissioning of three plants, which were eventually taken offline in April 2023.

(dpa/NAN)