"Christian, um..."

An Awkward Moment Between Stocker and Merz

Christian Stocker is actually no stranger in Berlin...(Bild: AFP/TOBIAS SCHWARZ)

Chancellor Christian Stocker recently joined other heads of state in Berlin to rail against the proposed EU budget framework. At a joint press conference, the bloc of so-called net contributors was supposed to demonstrate unity. Too bad the German chancellor stumbled right at the start...

Friedrich Merz apparently had trouble introducing his guests to the assembled German press. Or rather, one guest. It almost seemed as if he had forgotten Stocker’s last name when he opened the press conference.

Stocker became “Christian”
He still managed to introduce his Danish colleague, Mette Frederiksen, with statesmanlike poise. But when pronouncing the name of Finland’s prime minister, the Christian Democrat stumbled for the first time, and with Stocker, he then had a complete mental blank. When it came to our chancellor, all he could manage was “Christian”—complete with an awkward pause (“Um…”) to think.

The verbatim transcript of Merz’s opening remarks at the press conference:

Merz quickly tried to play down the embarrassing slip-up, referring only to the first names of the heads of state involved from then on. Stocker, on the other hand, did not intervene—and gave no sign that he was bothered. The fact that Stocker later declared that everyone present would speak “with one voice” on the matter rounded out the bizarre incident.

In terms of substance, however, there was really nothing to laugh about. The EU net contributors present had gathered at Merz’s office to coordinate their positions ahead of the critical phase of negotiations for the new EU financial framework for the period from 2028 to 2034. This framework is set to rise to two trillion euros. 

“The net contributors are not the EU’s ATM,” Stocker was quoted as saying. The group that had just gathered in Berlin—expanded to include the Netherlands and Sweden—provides a major portion of the European Union’s total financial resources. “This shows that we are not shirking our responsibility.” However, he added, problems cannot be solved with money alone.

According to journalists present, the Federal Chancellor did manage to make his German counterpart, Merz, smile with a metaphor. “We have to settle the bill with the innkeeper, not just with the guests,” he explained regarding the financial plans from Brussels. Perhaps that will stick in people’s minds...