German Union Practices Chancellor Dismantling

In Germany on 29 May 2026, a debate over a possible 'Kanzlertausch', a change of chancellor, dominated the Union's politics. Hendrik Wüst, described as North Rhine-Westphalia's minister-president, denied rumours of a chancellor swap and pledged full support to Merz. Merz called the dispute a 'side debate', and the SPD said it stands behind Chancellor Merz. Le Monde wrote that Merz's weakening spreads the idea of his replacement, and the Frankfurter Allgemeine wrote about how Merz amplifies the speculation aimed at Wüst.

Other German political news the same day: a CDU brochure on the AfD caused a dispute, and the Frankfurter Allgemeine wrote that the AfD's education programme could soon become reality in Saxony-Anhalt. Merz assured Romania of allied loyalty after a drone strike there, and Die Zeit ran a column on Merz's 'Lackaffen' insult.