Merz Seeks to Reignite “Back Speech” Moment, Urges national Renewal on German Unity Day
Berlin, Germany - October 1, 2025 – In a highly anticipated address on German Unity Day, Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to call for a significant shift in national attitude, echoing the spirit of former Federal President Roman Herzog‘s landmark 2000 “Back Speech” (“Rückenwind” speech). The move signals a potential attempt to revitalize a flagging coalition and address a perceived lack of dynamism within the country.
According to sources, Merz intends to use the symbolic date – commemorating the reunification of East and West Germany - to urge citizens to embrace change and take greater responsibility for their own futures. The speech is being framed as a corrective measure, an effort to achieve what merz has so far been unable to accomplish through policy alone: a essential shift in public mindset.
Herzog’s 2000
