Shouting matches in the halls of Germany’s government? It has been rumored that in mid-April, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz yelled at his vice chancellor, Lars Klingbeil, in a coalition leaders’ meeting. Klingbeil has now confirmed that tempers flared but said, “It’s not a big deal to get yelled at once in a while.”

Despite previous disputes over pensions or basic income, Merz and Klingbeil, the respective leaders of the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats, have been getting along. “But something has broken down, at the latest since the coalition summit held in a posh government villa in Berlin,” Bild wrote today after talking to several top coalition officials.

• Katherina Reiche, Germany’s economic minister, also had a heated disagreement with Klingbeil in April and was rebuked by Merz for it. Reiche expressed understanding for Merz’s attempt “to bring the coalition together at the end of the day,” but added: “My job as minister of economic affairs is to identify solutions that benefit the business community.”

It is now evident that Merz is having a hard time preserving harmony in the coalition.

He even has a hard time settling disputes in his own party. Bild reported that key staff members within the Chancellery wonder how much longer this can go on.

Merz is currently the least popular top politician, followed by party colleagues Reiche and Jens Spahn—after just a year in office.

• The Social Democrats are facing an even greater existential crisis as their party suffers historic election losses in key states, with more to follow later this year.

Former Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, who is a strong advocate for Merz and is also dating Reiche, expressed frustration in an interview with Fränkischer Tag on April 24:

I saw clear direction in Friedrich Merz when he wasn’t yet chancellor. I find that much harder to see today.

But what this country wants is leadership. And that means, when in doubt, knowing how to push through plans you firmly believe in. It won’t succeed 100 percent of the time. But it should succeed at least on some points.

The Trumpet has pointed for decades to Germany’s leadership problem as a key factor that will lead to the rise of a prophesied strongman who will take charge not only of Germany but of Europe. Merz’s unpopularity and inability to get key reforms passed add urgency to this prophecy.

To learn more, read “Europe Needs Someone Greater Than a German Chancellor.”