Merz Faces CDU Crisis While Abroad in Ireland

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) traveled to Ireland in the midst of his most severe domestic political crisis. During his visit, he advocated for significant cuts to the EU budget, proposing reductions of hundreds of billions of euros, and called for halting the planned expansion of the EU civil service apparatus. While in Dublin, where he was greeted with military honors, Merz was confronted by journalists about the ongoing political turmoil in Berlin. The article highlights the tension between Merz's international agenda and the deepening crisis within his own party and government back home.