German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has chosen Pope Leo XIV's encyclical on artificial intelligence, Magnifica humanitas (Magnificent humanity), as his holiday reading, the conservative broadsheet Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports. The decision comes amid a string of setbacks for Merz, who has been in office for 14 months and faces record low popularity.
The encyclical, introduced by the Guardian in May as "the first major text on safeguarding humankind of his papacy," calls for the "most rigorous" ethical constraints on technology, labeling AI the biggest threat to humanity.
Religious and Political Context
Merz, one of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, tends to be private about his faith, making his choice of beach reading noteworthy. The 70-year-old politician has described AI as both a challenge and an opportunity for Europe's largest economy after seven years of stagnation. He has called for streamlined EU rules to prevent red tape from stifling AI's potential.
In an April speech, Merz said Germany is a leading nation in AI use, especially in industry, and relies on its power to boost productivity and prosperity as support for the far right surges. He acknowledged that many Germans fear AI's ability to eliminate jobs and disrupt lives, stating: "The question, however, is not whether we want AI or not. AI is here and is already being put to practical use. It is now up to us to decide what happens in this transformation."
Recent Woes and Cabinet Reshuffle
Merz's latest troubles began two weeks ago when Jens Spahn, head of the CDU parliamentary group, announced he and his husband had a baby via a surrogate in the US. The move was seen as hypocritical given the CDU's firm opposition to surrogacy, which is illegal in Germany. Spahn resigned within days, prompting the biggest cabinet reshuffle since the early 1960s.
The reshuffle orchestrated by Merz was chaotic: one designated minister pulled out at the last minute, leaving the sitting official he was to replace hanging on before finally stepping down to preserve his "dignity." The shambolic proceedings have fueled talk of a "palace revolt" against Merz and speculation over whether he will remain in office until Christmas. After returning to Berlin, Merz faces three state elections in September, in which the far-right AfD could achieve record results.
With disarray taking hold, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted that Merz's other holiday title is a novel called Ship of Fools.
