German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has cancelled his planned participation in a space summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on September 9-10.
A spokesperson for Merz told Politico on September 7 that the chancellor was cancelling his trip because of a busy schedule this week. The decision came just hours after Merz’s party suffered a major defeat to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Merz is scheduled to meet European Council President António Costa and address the Bundestag on September 9. On September 10, he is due to meet United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and German diplomats.
Merz’s absence adds to difficulties surrounding the summit, which has been criticised by several participants as directionless and poorly organised.
Last week, major US space companies, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX, decided not to attend the event after the White House pressured American companies to withdraw.
The French government has repeatedly described the summit as a joint event co-chaired by France and Germany, although it has largely been presented online as a French initiative. On September 4, an Élysée official again said the event would be co-chaired by the two countries.
A German diplomat, speaking anonymously about Merz’s last-minute cancellation, confirmed that Berlin would continue to co-chair the summit despite the chancellor’s absence.
German Minister for Research, Technology and Space Dorothee Bär and her French counterpart, Philippe Baptiste, are expected to open the event. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is scheduled to speak on a panel, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also due to deliver a major speech.
By Sabina Mammadli
