German chancellor Friedrich Merz calls for unity as he warns of threats facing Germany

In a major update, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Germany is facing "extraordinarily serious challenges" from political extremists at home and persistent hybrid threats from external adversaries, singling out Russia for trying to destabilize the country daily through cyberattacks and sabotage.

Speaking at a party conference for the Christian Social Union (CSU) in Munich, Merz stressed the critical need for internal political unity and accelerated economic reforms including targeted shifts in tax, pension, and welfare policies to reinforce Germany's social stability and resilience.

"How do we safeguard our freedom and our security in Europe, in the face of growing threats from extremists within and foreign powers from without?" he said, adding that Russia was seeking "to destabilize Germany on a daily basis".

Relations between Berlin and Moscow have fallen to their lowest level since the Cold War following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine but Russia rejects accusations that it is conducting a hybrid campaign against Germany and other European countries.

Merz's comments follow weeks of tension with the ruling coalition after heavy regional election defeats in eastern Germany, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) came first in two states and the far-left Left Party topped the poll in Berlin.

Germany's Chancellor called for unity in his struggling coalition on Saturday, saying Germany faced growing threats from political extremists and what he described as daily Russian efforts to de-stabilize the country.