Germany’s new Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, is expected to bring a pragmatic approach to diplomacy and a renewed focus on the Western Balkans’ EU integration — but also firm demands for reforms.
Wadephul, a senior figure in the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), was appointed by Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz as part of the incoming conservative-led government. A trained lawyer and reserve major in the Bundeswehr, Wadephul has been a Bundestag member since 2009 and served as deputy chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group with responsibilities covering foreign, defence and security policy.
As Vice President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Wadephul has advocated stronger European cooperation in security matters and staunch support for Ukraine. Commenting on strained transatlantic relations under former U.S. President Donald Trump, he stated: “We must keep our hand extended, be ready for negotiations, but ensure we can defend ourselves if talks fail.”
Shift Toward Results-Oriented Diplomacy
“Wadephul is likely to pursue a more reserved, results-driven style of diplomacy than his predecessor Annalena Baerbock,” said Hans-Joachim Falenski, former foreign policy adviser to the CDU/CSU bloc.
In 2022, Wadephul publicly criticised Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his first official visit to the Western Balkans, calling it “amateurish” for urging Serbia to recognise Kosovo’s independence during a press conference in Belgrade — a move he said could undermine diplomatic dialogue. He also questioned the protocol of visiting Pristina before Belgrade.
A Close Watcher of the Western Balkans
Wadephul is widely regarded as one of the CDU’s top foreign policy experts and a long-time advocate of the Western Balkans’ European path. Kolë Gjoka, Albania’s Honorary Consul in Hamburg and a former CDU Bundestag candidate, said Wadephul would likely play a key role in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and support Albania’s EU membership efforts.
Wadephul previously led the Bundestag’s cross-party working group on the Western Balkans. His colleague, Gunther Krichbaum, a veteran CDU lawmaker and new State Minister for European Affairs, is also expected to influence the region’s EU trajectory. Both politicians have spoken openly on domestic political issues in Albania, urging democratic reforms and criticising the Democratic Party’s leadership.
In a recent statement, Krichbaum condemned violent protests by Albania’s opposition and called for new leadership within the Democratic Party to restore its credibility and pro-European stance.
Conditional Support for EU Enlargement
Wadephul has emphasised that EU integration must be merit-based. “We imposed preconditions for Albania’s accession talks in 2019, which took significant effort to negotiate. If these are not met, I will struggle to convince my parliamentary colleagues to support the process,” he told Deutsche Welle.
According to Falenski, key criteria such as judicial reforms, anti-corruption efforts and institutional strengthening — especially in Albania — will remain prerequisites for progress.
Concerns over Power Centralisation
Wadephul’s appointment marks the first time in nearly 60 years that Germany’s Foreign Ministry returns to CDU control. Typically held by coalition partners, the post now aligns with the Chancellery, both led by the CDU.
This concentration of power has raised concerns among the opposition. Boris Mijatović, a Green Party MP and Balkans expert, warned that foreign policy could lose independence under a dominant chancellery.
Still, he expects Wadephul to uphold democratic values and legal standards in the Balkans. “Germany must stand firmly with democratic forces in the region and avoid enabling authoritarian regimes on their path to the EU,” he told Deutsche Welle.
