A soft drizzle falls over Berlin, blurring the outlines of the Spree and the stately government buildings that line its banks. In the quiet of the city, the measured pace of streets contrasts with the rapid shifts of the world beyond. Germany’s finance minister, Friedrich Merz, has spoken with a tone that carries both observation and caution: the rules-based order that once guided international relations, he suggests, no longer exists. The remark settles like a quiet weight, an acknowledgment that stability once taken for granted now requires deliberate attention.
Merz framed his warning amid a backdrop of global turbulence: conflicts abroad, uneven enforcement of international norms, and the selective application of treaties have all chipped at the structures that once defined predictable engagement. From sanctions to trade agreements, from energy dependencies to security frameworks, the delicate lattice of global governance has faced repeated stress. For Germany, a central actor in Europe and a leading economy, these fractures are not abstract—they reverberate in finance, diplomacy, and daily policymaking.
The erosion of shared norms does not happen in a single moment. It is cumulative, shaped by unilateral decisions, regional tensions, and moments where expectations of reciprocity fail. Institutions like the European Union, NATO, and the United Nations strive to maintain continuity, but their work is now measured against a landscape of uncertainty. Germany’s policymakers are recalibrating strategy, preparing for contingencies, and seeking alliances that can offer both stability and influence in a world where rules are increasingly provisional.
Merz’s words carry a broader reflection: the fragility of systems depends not on their design alone, but on the willingness of participants to uphold them. When adherence falters, the predictable cadence of international engagement gives way to improvisation, negotiation, and, at times, cautious maneuvering. For citizens observing from Berlin, the question is not only about abstract global order but how that erosion touches economies, trade flows, and security in tangible ways.
As evening settles over the city, the Spree reflects muted skies, and the corridors of government remain active with deliberation. The old assumptions no longer hold, yet in their absence, deliberate engagement, measured alliances, and careful preparation become the compass by which Germany—and the wider world—must navigate. The rules, it seems, may be gone, but the work of order, fragile and ongoing, continues.
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Sources Friedrich Merz Reuters BBC News Financial Times DW News