Germany Seeks to Develop Steel Industry and End Foreign Dependence

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his commitment to preserving the German steel industry and expressed his willingness to consider holding a so-called "steel summit" between the government and representatives of this industrial sector. During a government question session in parliament, Merz said on Wednesday: "I do not want to see Germany dependent on steel imports from other countries, regardless of their location, whether in Europe, America, or China." The leader of Germany's Christian Union added: "Germany must have its own steel industry," according to the German news agency DPA. Merz explained that he is in close dialogue with steel companies and that he had a lengthy discussion with the board of directors of the German metalworkers' union IG Metall just yesterday. Merz stated that during that conversation, the proposal to call a steel summit was again raised to him. He said: "For my part, I promised to consider this proposal in good faith, but such a summit must yield results." He indicated that if a result could be reached, he would actually call for such a summit.