Merz calls for European defense independence as NATO concerns rise

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union, has called for Europe to achieve security and defense independence from the U.S. after his party won the federal election. He expressed concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on NATO. Merz plans to form a coalition with the Social Democratic Party, which lost seats in the election. The coalition will have a slim majority in the Bundestag, while the far-right Alternative for Germany will be the largest opposition party. Merz is under pressure to increase military support for Ukraine and may seek to amend Germany's debt rules to allow for more defense spending. He has also invited Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to visit Germany amid ongoing legal challenges against him.