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https://theconversation.com/germany-is-back-3ways-nz-can-benefit-from-europes-renewed-centre-of-power-253926>
"It’s unlikely many New Zealanders paid close attention to Foreign Minister
Winston Peters’ statement late last year that “New Zealand and Germany are
committed to enhancing their partnership”.
Peters had been visiting Berlin two weeks after Donald Trump’s US election
victory, but well before the real contours of the second Trump administration
came into focus.
The foreign minister’s diplomatic tone may have suited the less heated
atmosphere of the time, but 2025 is a very different place. With the pillars of
the international system New Zealand depends on crumbling, strong ties with an
active Germany at the heart of Europe begin to look more important.
Germans, too, are grappling with the same uncertainties – not least Friedrich
Merz, the Christian Democratic Union party leader who is all but certain to be
the new chancellor when coalition negotiations conclude.
Among the most pro-American of Europe’s leaders, Merz will enter the
Chancellery at a time when US relations are fraught. Even before the February
election results were finalised, he acknowledged this new reality, calling to
“strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that […] we can really achieve
independence from the USA”.
With Trump’s reversal of US support for Ukraine, his “might is right” foreign
policy and hostile trade tariffs, Germany and the European Union have begun to
reassess their place in the new world order. New Zealand will be watching
closely."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
