PoliticsFact check: Germany's Merz misstates record in ARD interview

Chancellor Friedrich Merz made several misleading claims about migration, debt and electric vehicles during his ARD summer interview. DW found that first-time asylum applications had fallen, but not by the 60% he cited; Germany sits mid-table in the eurozone for debt, while its AAA rating is shared with several other countries.

German politicsFriedrich Merzfact-check

DDW★★★☆☆2026-08-30 19:53Original