Conservative German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has been in office for almost a year, but has been a disappointment. He has allowed spending to continue to grow out of control and his timid pro-growth proposals have been vetoed by the socialist party that is part of his coalition.

But at least a frustrated Merz recognizes the problem, and when he spoke last month at the Davos conference, he laid out the stark choice facing a declining Europe:

“Both Germany and Europe have wasted incredible potential for growth in recent years by dragging their feet on reforms and by unnecessarily and excessively curtailing entrepreneurial freedom and personal responsibility.

“We must substantially reduce bureaucracy in Europe. The single market was once created to form the most competitive economic area in the world.

“Instead, we have become the world champion of overregulation. That has to end.”

To that end, Merz proposed the EU adopt an emergency brake for new regulations and an end to the automatic renewal of outdated rules.

Good luck with that.