The political scientist assessed the ability of the German government to support the anti-Russian course

Germany, where the formation of a new government is nearing completion, is unlikely to be able to maintain an anti-Russian course in defiance of the United States. Artyom Sokolov, a researcher at the Center for European Studies at the MGIMO Institute of International Studies, told Izvestia on March 25.

On this day, the first meeting of the new Bundestag, formed after the early February elections, will take place. On the same day, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his ministers will receive official resignation notices from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

According to him, the position of the new German government on Russian-German relations will be determined by three circumstances. The first factor is how relations between Russia and Western countries will develop in general, primarily on the issue of the Ukrainian conflict.

"Here, Berlin will try to find a common approach together with the United States as a NATO ally and, in principle, the main partner of Germany. I do not think that the new government will have the desire, strength and means to single-handedly maintain a confrontational course against Moscow in defiance of Washington, no matter what [Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and candidate for chancellor of Germany] Friedrich Merz says now," Sokolov said.

The expert noted that Merz's loud statements about the Russian Federation should be perceived solely as part of his election campaign.

The second factor that will influence Berlin's rhetoric towards Moscow, according to the political scientist, is the position of German business. He added that it would be necessary to observe whether these people would be able to convey to the new leadership of Germany their concerns related to the energy crisis, the cessation of energy supplies from Russia and compliance with anti-Russian sanctions, which also negatively affect German business. First of all, the one who conducted business in the Russian Federation.

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The position of German society will also have an impact on Russian-German relations. According to opinion polls and the results of early elections, there is a demand among German citizens for new approaches in Berlin's foreign policy towards Moscow, the political scientist noted.

"More than a third of voters voted for the opposition parties, which advocated precisely a change in Germany's foreign policy rhetoric and practice, and for Berlin's active diplomatic role in the Ukrainian crisis," the expert emphasized.

Sokolov added that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Sarah Wagenknecht's Union (SSV) parties received great support in the early elections. If the government does not continue its policy of an informal ban on interaction with extreme right-wing political forces ("Firewall") and does not present citizens who voted for them as people susceptible to propaganda, then the voice of this part of German society will be able to influence the future of relations between Germany and the Russian Federation, the political scientist concluded.

Early elections to the Bundestag were held in Germany on February 23. The opposition bloc of the Christian Democratic and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) won, gaining almost 28.6% of the vote. The second place was taken by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party with 20.8%. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) and the Sarah Wagenknecht Union for Reason and Justice (SSV) failed to enter the Bundestag. With the bloc that won the election, Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD) expects to form a ruling coalition. On March 24, the CDU/CSU and the SPD presented proposals for a coalition agreement.

On March 12, the Russian Embassy in Berlin told Izvestia about the consequences of the destruction of ties between Germany and Russia. As a result, the sanctions imposed by the EU had an impact on the economy and industry of Germany. There, one can observe a socio-economic crisis, inflation, bankruptcy and, as a result, a decrease in the welfare of the population.