Germany's Merz says Russia is seeking to destabilize Germany

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Russia is seeking to destabilize Germany. Anadolu Agency and Daily Sabah both reported the remarks. Vocemundi could review only the headline of Anadolu's report.

According to Daily Sabah, Merz spoke on Saturday, 24 October 2026, at a convention of the Christian Social Union (CSU) in Munich. The CSU is the Bavarian sister party of Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

Daily Sabah quoted Merz as saying: "We are facing a massive threat in the east of our continent. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has profoundly shaken the European peace order." The outlet also quoted him as saying: "And we also see that Russia seeks to destabilize Germany, day in and day out."

According to Daily Sabah, Merz said the threat went beyond the war in Ukraine. He pointed to cyberattacks, sabotage and attempted attacks on critical infrastructure across Europe. He cited an attempted drone attack involving a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig Airport on 4 August. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe that incident in detail. They do not say who was responsible. Merz also called for a stronger response to threats from abroad and to political extremism at home, the outlet reported.

On 5 October, Martin Jaeger, head of Germany's foreign intelligence service, told parliament's intelligence committee that the confrontation with Russia had entered a more dangerous phase, according to Daily Sabah. The outlet quoted him as saying: "No other country currently poses such a direct, comprehensive and concrete threat to Germany."

According to Daily Sabah, Merz urged his coalition partners to move quickly on pension, tax and welfare reforms. He praised CSU ministers and paid tribute to CSU leader Markus Soeder.

Daily Sabah reported that Merz's approval ratings have fallen to record lows and that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) leads national polls. The reports do not give figures. The AfD finished first in two eastern states in recent regional elections, and the Left Party came first in Berlin, the outlet reported.

The CSU has proposed Ilse Aigner to succeed President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose term is due to end next year. The CDU has not endorsed her. Unnamed party sources cited by Daily Sabah said the CDU has not ruled out its own candidate.

What each side says

• Merz: Daily Sabah quoted him as saying: "Any politician who votes with the AfD has no place in our Union." He said the Left Party tolerates antisemitism and urged the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens not to govern with it in Berlin.
• Left Party: It says antisemitism is not systemic within the party, according to Daily Sabah.
• Russia: According to Daily Sabah, Russia has repeatedly rejected accusations of a hybrid warfare campaign against Germany and other European countries. The reports do not include a Russian response to this speech.
• Some unnamed conservatives: They say the AfD's political isolation should be reassessed, Daily Sabah reported.

Analysis

The speech links two issues: external security and domestic political pressure. Merz framed Russia as a direct threat while asking his coalition to speed up economic reforms. Several paths are possible. Security concerns could encourage coalition unity, or disputes over reforms and the presidential nomination could deepen divisions between the CDU and CSU. Public reaction to his firm line against the AfD and the Left Party remains uncertain. Key details are unverified. The reports do not attribute the Leipzig incident to any party. Most details beyond the core claim come from a single outlet, so further confirmation would strengthen the picture.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.