Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz (German:; born 11 November 1955) is a German politician who has served as Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since January 2022 and led the CDU/CSU (Union) parliamentary group as well as been Leader of the Opposition in the Bundestag since February 2022.

6 days ago · For weeks, Friedrich Merz appeared to be cruising towards his life-long dream of becoming Germany’s chancellor by focusing on a pro-business pitch to revive Europe’s largest economy.

Sep 17, 2024 · BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s opposition center-right Christian Democratic Union announced Tuesday that it has chosen its leader, Friedrich Merz, to be its candidate for chancellor in next year’s national election. The decision sets the stage for a possible challenge of Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the federal election scheduled for September 2025.

Dec 16, 2024 · BERLIN — Friedrich Merz took another step toward becoming German chancellor on Monday — while launching some scathing attacks on the very people with whom he will likely have to govern.

Die Wählerinnen und Wähler sprachen mir ihr Vertrauen aus, und so pendelte ich von nun an nach Bonn, später dann nach Berlin. Ich verteidigte mein Direktmandat 1998, 2002 und 2005. Im Jahr 2000 wählte mich die CDU/CSU-Bundestagsfraktion als Nachfolger von Wolfgang Schäuble erstmals zu ihrem Vorsitzenden.

Dec 2, 2024 · BERLIN ― Friedrich Merz, Germany’s likely next chancellor, is campaigning on his own version of MAGA, vowing to restore his country’s lost sense of greatness in profoundly insecure times.

Dec 18, 2024 · Who Is Friedrich Merz, a Leading Candidate to Be Germany’s Next Chancellor? If polls are correct, Olaf Scholz’s successor could be the 69-year-old leader of the Christian Democratic Union.

Jan 31, 2025 · Friedrich Merz, German opposition leader and chairman of the Christian Democrats, speaking during a session of the German Parliament in Berlin, on Friday.

Friedrich Merz (2022) Seit 31. Januar 2022 ist Friedrich Merz als CDU-Parteivorsitzender im Amt. [37] Am 15. Februar 2022 wurde er erneut zum Vorsitzenden der CDU/CSU-Fraktion im Deutschen Bundestag und Oppositionsführer gewählt, womit er Ralph Brinkhaus ablöste, der auf eine erneute Kandidatur zugunsten von Merz verzichtet hatte. [38] [39] Im Juli 2023 tauschte Merz den in Medien als ...

Dec 11, 2024 · Berlin correspondent who has investigated anti-vaxxers and COVID treatment practices, reported on refugee camps and covered warlords' trials in The Hague.