German Chancellor Merz will not attend Macron’s space summit in Paris
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has canceled his trip to the international space summit, which French President Emmanuel Macron will host in Paris on Wednesday and Thursday. A spokesperson for the German chancellor explained the decision by Merz’s busy work schedule this week, Politico Europe reports.
The chancellor’s work schedule
On Wednesday, Merz is due to meet with European Council President António Costa and speak in the Bundestag. On Thursday, the chancellor is scheduled to hold meetings with United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and German diplomats.
The cancellation of the trip was announced several hours after Merz’s party was defeated by the far-right Alternative for Germany in state elections in Saxony-Anhalt.
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France and Germany’s co-chairmanship
The French government has repeatedly described the international space summit as an event co-chaired by France and Germany. At the same time, it has mostly been presented online as a French event. A representative of the Élysée Palace also said on Friday that the summit would be led by both countries.
A German diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Berlin would remain a co-chair of the event despite the chancellor’s absence. Germany’s Minister of Research, Technology and Space Dorothee Bär and her French counterpart Philippe Baptiste are expected to open the summit. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is due to speak at one of the panels, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver a keynote address.
Last week, leading U.S. space companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, decided not to participate in the event following White House pressure on U.S. businesses. Some participants also criticized the summit over the lack of a clear direction and organizational problems.
