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Friedrich Merz | |
|---|---|
(2).jpg) Merz in 2025 | |
| Leader of the Christian Democratic Union | |
| Assumed office 31 January 2022 | |
| Deputy | |
| Preceded by | Armin Laschet |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| Assumed office 15 February 2022 | |
| Chancellor | Olaf Scholz |
| Preceded by | Ralph Brinkhaus |
| In office 29 February 2000 – 22 September 2002 | |
| Chancellor | Gerhard Schröder |
| Preceded by | Wolfgang Schäuble |
| Succeeded by | Angela Merkel |
| Leader of the CDU/CSU in the Bundestag | |
| Assumed office 15 February 2022 | |
| First Deputy | Alexander Dobrindt |
| Chief Whip | Thorsten Frei |
| Preceded by | Ralph Brinkhaus |
| In office 29 February 2000 – 22 September 2002 | |
| First Deputy | Michael Glos |
| Chief Whip | Hans-Peter Repnik |
| Preceded by | Wolfgang Schäuble |
| Succeeded by | Angela Merkel |
| Member of the Bundestag for Hochsauerlandkreis | |
| Assumed office 26 October 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Patrick Sensburg |
| In office 10 November 1994 – 27 October 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Ferdinand Tillmann |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Sensburg |
| Member of the European Parliament for North Rhine-Westphalia | |
| In office 22 July 1989 – 19 July 1994 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz 11 November 1955 Brilon, West Germany |
| Political party | Christian Democratic Union (since 1972) |
| Spouse | Charlotte Gass (m. 1981) |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Arnsberg |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
| Website | www |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | West Germany |
| Branch/service | German Army |
| Years of service | 1975–1976 |
| Unit | Panzer Artillery Training Battalion 310 |
Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz (/mɛərts/; German: [joˈaxɪm ˈfʁiːdʁɪç mɛɐ̯ts]; 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 being Leader of the Opposition in the Bundestag since February 2022. In September 2024, he became the Union's candidate for Chancellor of Germany ahead of the 2025 federal election. With the CDU winning the most seats in the election, Merz is projected to become the next Chancellor.[1][2][3]
Merz was born in Brilon in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in then-West Germany. He joined the Young Union in 1972. After finishing law school in 1985, Merz worked as a judge and corporate lawyer before entering full-time politics in 1989 when he was elected to the European Parliament. After serving one term he was elected to the Bundestag, where he established himself as the leading financial policy expert in the CDU. In 2000 he was elected chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the same year as Angela Merkel was elected chairwoman of the CDU, and at the time they were chief rivals for the leadership of the party, which led the opposition together with CSU.[4][5]
After the 2002 federal election, CDU party leader Angela Merkel claimed the parliamentary group chairmanship for herself, while Merz was elected deputy parliamentary group leader. In December 2004, he resigned from this office, thereby giving up the years-long power struggle with Merkel[6][5] and gradually withdrew from politics, focusing on his legal career and leaving parliament entirely in 2009, until his return to parliament in 2021. In 2004 he became a senior counsel with Mayer Brown, where he has focused on mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, and compliance. He has served on the boards of numerous companies, including BlackRock Germany. A corporate lawyer and reputed multimillionaire, Merz is also a licensed private pilot and owns two aeroplanes.[7][8] In 2018, he announced his return to politics. He was elected CDU leader in December 2021, assuming the office in January 2022. He had failed to win the position in two previous leadership elections in 2018,[9][10] and January 2021.[11][12]
As a young politician in the 1970s and 1980s, he was a staunch supporter of anti-communism, the dominant political doctrine of West Germany and a core tenet of the CDU. Merz is seen as a representative of the traditional establishment conservative and pro-business wings of the CDU.[13] His book Mehr Kapitalismus wagen (Venturing More Capitalism) advocates economic liberalism. He has long been considered "exceptionally pro-American"[14] and has been chairman of the Atlantik-Brücke association which promotes German-American friendship and Atlanticism. He is a staunch supporter of the European Union, NATO and the liberal international order, having described himself as "a truly convinced European, a convinced transatlanticist, and a German open to the world".[15] Merz advocates a closer union and "an army for Europe".[16] He is known for a hawkish stance on Russia and China, and is critical of the Trump administration.
- ^ "German exit polls: Clear win for Merz's centre-right CDU/CSU". Yahoo News. 23 February 2025. Archived from the original on 26 February 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
- ^ Parker, Jessica (23 February 2025). "Friedrich Merz: Risk-taker who flirted with far right". BBC News. Archived from the original on 24 February 2025.
- ^ Tanno, Sophie (23 February 2025). "Merz claims win for German conservatives as far right surges to strongest postwar election result". CNN. Archived from the original on 24 February 2025.
- ^ Huggler, Justin (31 October 2018). "Merkel rival Friedrich Merz emerges as surprise early frontrunner to succeed chancellor". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 31 October 2018.
- ^ a b Neukirch, Ralf; Schult, Christoph (29 June 2003). "Der Männerbund" [The Men's Association]. Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ Weiland, Severin (8 February 2007). "Enthüllung: Wie Merkels und Merz' Feindschaft begann" [Revelations: How Merkel and Merz's enmity began]. Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Archived from the original on 28 August 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ Sorge, Nils-Viktor (20 May 2014). "Ex-CDU-Star Friedrich Merz: Ganz unten" [Ex CDU star Friedrich Merz and the career setback]. manager-magazin.de (in German). Archived from the original on 23 May 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ "Hat Friedrich Merz wirklich zwei Flugzeuge?" [Does Friedrich Merz really have two planes?]. stern.de (in German). 28 November 2018. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018.
- ^ Braun, Stefan (2018). "Die große Zeitenwende ist eine Chance für die CDU" [The great turning point is an opportunity for the CDU]. Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). ISSN 0174-4917. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ Connolly, Kate (7 December 2018). "Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer elected Merkel's successor as CDU leader". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
- ^ "Laschet zum neuen CDU-Chef gewählt" [Laschet elected new CDU leader]. tagesschau.de (in German). 16 January 2021. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
- ^ "Pragmatic governor Laschet elected to lead Merkel's party". Associated Press. 16 January 2021. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021.
- ^ Escritt, Thomas (31 October 2018). "Conservative contenders vie to overturn Merkel's centrism". Reuters. Archived from the original on 31 October 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
ind1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Merz will CDU-Chef werden: 'Wir brauchen Aufbruch und Erneuerung, keinen Umsturz'" [Merz wants to become CDU leader: 'We need a new beginning and renewal, not a coup']. Die Welt (in German). 31 October 2018. Archived from the original on 1 November 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
www.handelsblatt.comwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).