# Under pressure: Can Merz steer Germany through 2026?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dw-berlin-briefing-inside-german-politics-7077761/under-pressure-can-merz-steer-germany-through-2026
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dw-berlin-briefing-inside-german-politics-7077761/under-pressure-can-merz-steer-germany-through-2026.md
Podcast: [DW Berlin Briefing - Inside German politics](https://stenobird.com/podcast/dw-berlin-briefing-inside-german-politics-7077761)
Published: 2026-03-13T16:17:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.dw.com/en/under-pressure-can-merz-steer-germany-through-2026/audio-76352721?maca=en-podcast_Berlin_Briefing-42113-xml-mrss
Audio file: https://radiodownloaddw-a.akamaihd.net/Events/podcasts/en/42113_podcast_Berlin_Briefing/0E1B4994_2-podcast-42113-76352721.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/dw-berlin-briefing-inside-german-politics-7077761/episodes/under-pressure-can-merz-steer-germany-through-2026
Duration seconds: 2114

## Resource

Germany enters a defining political year as five regional elections could shift power amid energy tensions. The Greens surge in Baden‑Württemberg with Cem Özdemir, while the SPD’s slump raises reform doubts.

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## Transcript

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