Read our Privacy noticeGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz hailed the European Union on Thursday as an “alternative to imperialism and autocracy” that can forge deals with like-minded partners in a world of increasing great power rivalry. “We are seeing increasingly clearly in the last few weeks that a world of great powers is beginning to form,” Merz said. “We are also a normative alternative to imperialism and autocracy in the world.”He emphasized the value of unity in the sometimes fractious 27-nation EU, saying the bloc had shown last week that it could act fast. Merz noted that 59 German troops died in Afghanistan during the country's nearly 20-year deployment in Afghanistan, and well over 100 were wounded. Merz said that “we will not allow this deployment, which we also performed in the interest of our ally, the United States of America, to be disparaged and demeaned today.”