which has depended on American security guarantees since 1945. . .

…Merz even went as far as to liken the Trump administrations recent tactics to those of Russia. He was especially critical of tech billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk for endorsing the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the German election.'

She no doubt laid out for him exactly what he would be dealing with.

Conservative here will paint this as a rightward shift, which it certainly is to some extent, buit remember that Merkel's Germany was something like what we would dream of as a Democratic adminsitration in the US. Trump and Musk have no friend in this guy, and the results were pretty clear that Germans want *this* version of conservatism (a kind of soft neoliberalism) rather than the AfD nonsense.

as some kind of MAGA victory.

He obviously has no idea what a conservative party is in the European context.

about much of anything, anything at all.

Germany has swung right. Pity the former DDR states swung towards AfD.

I'm just glad CDU/CSU are holding firm on no coalition with AfD.

Feel the same way.

USA have become a threat.

as to exactly what Trump and his Nazi loving fascists ARE.

There will be some short term pain though, as they will need to shift budgets towards security and the military.

Europe has to move away from the USA.
Trump, who is gaga ( so is Musk), is a malevolent force.

Step by step, move away from the USA.

Make a new Security organzation with out the USA and leave Nato an empty shell.

That's probably a good thing. Apparently we didn't deserve our standing in the world.

But, Europe is having to deal with the real problem. A US where a third of the electorate voted for Trump, and where a third couldn't be bothered to vote against an authoritarian Strong Leader is not an ally which can be relied upon.

And no, some of those who voted for Trump or who didn't vote can't be excused because they didn't know what they were voting for, or refraining from voting for. Trump and maga were open about their plans. Trump had already had a term in office. If you have a vote it is your responsibility to educate yourself. If you drive a car and never stop at stop signs it is no excuse when you kill someone that you didn't know that stop signs really mean that you have to stop.

.... there is a positive side to this. It may help clarify European thinking and mover the EU towards a less divided and more cohesive polity. In the way the prospect of being hung in the morning tends to help sort out what is and is not important.

Maybe we will someday see a United States of Europe, rather than a European Union.

Brexit. Divide and conquer knowing he had Kraznov in his shorts.

Not ashamed of the good people passionately resisting the evil which has befallen us, but we cannot entirely separate ourselves from our government.

And though we may cast off the fascism inflicted by the choice of our fellow citizens and begin to rebuild what was lost, the trust and fellowship we once shared with European democracies will neither be soon nor easily be repaired.