Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) told Germany’s second national TV channel ZDF that he disagrees with the Merz government’s policy of war in Ukraine which it has inherited from the previous Scholz government. After four years of war, this policy is leading nowhere except into a big catastrophe. He added that the war should be ended at the earliest possible date, and that German diplomacy must contribute to that outcome.

In the opinion of this author Kretschmer would make the best choice within senior levels of the Christian Democrats to replace Merz as Chancellor. Kretschmer has been a consistent voice against the anti-Russian Ukraine policy, and has good relations with the Vatican as seen in his Sept. 23 audience with Pope Leo XIV.