Key facts
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will not travel to New York next week as planned.
- Merz's presence is required in Berlin due to political pressure.
- Merz's party suffered a defeat in the Saxony-Anhalt state election on September 6.
- Merz was scheduled to attend the UN General Assembly in New York.
- Merz also canceled his attendance at a space summit in Paris hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
- A spokesperson cited Merz's busy schedule as the reason for the cancellations.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has canceled his planned trip to New York next week for the UN General Assembly, a government source said Tuesday. The decision comes amid mounting political pressure following a significant result for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the state of Saxony-Anhalt on September 6.
Merz's absence also means he will miss a space summit in Paris hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday and Thursday. A spokesperson for Merz stated that the cancellations were due to his busy schedule this week. The German leader was also scheduled to meet with European Council President António Costa and speak at the Bundestag on Wednesday, and meet with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and German diplomats on Thursday.