German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose popularity has sunk to a record low 14 months into his tenure, has chosen a papal encyclical on artificial intelligence as his holiday reading, according to the conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The Christian Democratic Union leader is reportedly taking Pope Leo's encyclical Magnifica humanitas (Magnificent Humanity) on his summer break, eschewing typical beach reads for spiritual and ethical guidance.
Merz's AI stance and papal alignment
The encyclical, introduced in May as the first major document of Pope Leo's papacy, calls for stringent ethical constraints on AI, labeling it the biggest threat to humanity. Merz, one of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, has publicly described AI as both a challenge and an opportunity for Germany, Europe's largest economy, which has suffered seven years of stagnation. In an April speech, he emphasized Germany's leading role in industrial AI applications and expressed hope that AI could boost productivity and prosperity, even as the far-right AfD gains support. "The question is not whether we want AI or not," Merz said. "AI is here and is already being put to practical use. It is now up to us to decide what happens in this transformation."
Political turmoil and cabinet reshuffle
Merz's holiday comes amid a severe political crisis. Two weeks ago, Jens Spahn, the ambitious head of the CDU parliamentary group, announced he and his husband had welcomed a baby born via surrogate in the United States. The move sparked accusations of hypocrisy given the CDU's firm opposition to surrogacy, which is illegal in Germany, and Spahn resigned within days. His departure triggered Germany's largest cabinet reshuffle since the early 1960s. The reshuffle, orchestrated by Merz, was chaotic: one designated minister withdrew at the last minute, leaving the outgoing official in limbo until he finally stepped down to preserve his "dignity."
Speculation of a palace revolt
The shambolic proceedings have fueled talk of a "palace revolt" against Merz, with speculation about whether he will remain in office until Christmas. Upon returning to Berlin, Merz faces three state elections in September, where the far-right AfD could achieve record results. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted wryly that Merz's other holiday book is a novel called Ship of Fools, underscoring the sense of disarray. Merz, a historically unpopular 70-year-old politician, tends to keep his faith private, making his choice of reading material particularly telling.
