Germany in February 2026: the most important developments in politics
Germany in February 2026 was defined by the Munich Security Conference, where Chancellor Friedrich Merz used a speech on 13 February to call for rebuilding transatlantic trust and a new partnership with the United States. He said freedom can no longer be taken for granted and that the US is not powerful enough to go it alone; earlier in the month he had said Europe must lose its nostalgia for the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told allies the two sides were made to be together and called for a new Western century, while analysts noted differing visions of European security in the two speeches. Emmanuel Macron urged European nations to be less timid, and Volodymyr Zelensky gave a sharply worded speech.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) drew wide attention. On 26 February a Cologne court issued a preliminary ruling that the domestic intelligence service cannot for now classify the party as a confirmed extremist organization; some politicians then argued for a ban procedure. Earlier, a German state had classified the party as a right-wing extremist organization. Nepotism allegations spread from Saxony-Anhalt to Baden-Württemberg and the Bundestag, with the party forming a commission, discussing expulsions and rejecting the claims as baseless. Parliament also lifted the immunity of AfD politician Petr Bystron.
Merz travelled to Saudi Arabia and Qatar in early February, offering closer defense cooperation; Iran's foreign minister called him a "disgusting character". From 23 to 26 February he made his first visit to China, meeting Xi Jinping, who called for raising the partnership to a new level. Merz asked China to use its influence on Ukraine. The CDU party conference confirmed him as leader, and he ruled out coalitions with the AfD or the Left Party.
On 28 February Merz, Macron and Keir Starmer condemned Iran's retaliatory strikes in the Middle East; the government said Merz had been informed in advance of the attack on Iran. The Bundestag approved stricter EU asylum rules, and the coalition debated a health surcharge and a heating law.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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