Wikipedia

Friedrich Merz

German politician (CDU), tenth Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Member of the Bundestag

Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz (born 11 November 1955) is a German lawyer and politician who has been the Chancellor of Germany since 2025. He is the Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 2022. He was a Member of the European Parliament 1989 to 1994, a member of the Bundestag from 1994 to 2009, and as the chairman of CDU/CSU parliamentary group from 2000 to 2002.

Friedrich Merz

MdB
Merz in June 2025
Chancellor of Germany
Assumed office
6 May 2025
PresidentFrank-Walter Steinmeier
Vice ChancellorLars Klingbeil
Preceded byOlaf Scholz
Leader of the Christian Democratic Union
Assumed office
31 January 2022
Deputy
Preceded byArmin Laschet
Leader of the Opposition
In office
15 February 2022 – 5 May 2025
ChancellorOlaf Scholz
Preceded byRalph Brinkhaus
Succeeded byTino Chrupalla
Alice Weidel
In office
29 February 2000 – 22 September 2002
ChancellorGerhard Schröder
Preceded byWolfgang Schäuble
Succeeded byAngela Merkel
Leader of the CDU/CSU in the Bundestag
In office
15 February 2022 – 5 May 2025
First DeputyAlexander Dobrindt
Chief WhipThorsten Frei
Preceded byRalph Brinkhaus
Succeeded byJens Spahn
In office
29 February 2000 – 22 September 2002
First DeputyMichael Glos
Chief WhipHans-Peter Repnik
Preceded byWolfgang Schäuble
Succeeded byAngela Merkel
Member of the Bundestag
for Template:Langr
Assumed office
26 October 2021
Preceded byPatrick Sensburg
In office
10 November 1994 – 27 October 2009
Preceded byFerdinand Tillmann
Succeeded byPatrick 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

(1955-11-11) 11 November 1955 (age 69)
Brilon, West Germany
Political partyChristian Democratic Union (since 1972)
Spouse(s)
Charlotte Gass
​
(m. 1981)​
Children3
ResidenceArnsberg
Education
Signature
Websitewww.friedrich-merz.de Edit this at Wikidata
Military service
Allegiance West Germany
Branch/service Bundeswehr
Years of service1975–1976
UnitPanzer Artillery Training Battalion 310

Early life

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Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz was born on 11 November 1955 in Brilon in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in then-West Germany.[1] Merz is Roman Catholic.[2][3][4][5] Merz was raised in his mother's family home Sauvigny House in Brilon.[6][7]

Merz served his military service as a soldier in the German Army in 1975.[8] From 1976, he studied law, first at the University of Bonn, later at the University of Marburg. After finishing law school in 1985, he became a judge in Saarbrücken.[9]

Political career

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Merz joined the Young Union in 1972. After finishing law school in 1985, he worked as a judge and corporate lawyer before entering politics in 1989 when he was elected to the European Parliament. After serving one term, he was elected to the Bundestag.

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. During this time, he had a rivalry with Merkel.[10]

After the 2002 federal election, CDU party leader Angela Merkel became the parliamentary group leader, while Merz was elected deputy parliamentary group leader. In December 2004, he resigned from this office.[11][12] Afterwards, he left politics to focus on his legal career. He would return to parliament in 2021.

CDU leadership campaigns

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In 2018 he announced his candidacy in the CDU leadership election in December 2018.[13] He lost the election to Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. In February 2020, he announced his second candidacy for the party's 2021 leadership election.[14] He lost the race on 16 January 2021 after losing to Armin Laschet in the second round.

On 15 November 2021, Merz announced his candidacy in the second 2021 CDU leadership election to replace Armin Laschet.[15][16] He ran against Norbert Röttgen and Helge Braun.[17] On 17 December 2021, he was elected leader in a landslide victory.[18]

2025 federal election

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Main article: 2025 German federal election

In September 2024 Merz became the Union's designated candidate for Chancellor of Germany for the 2025 federal election.[19][20][21]

On election day during the 2025 federal election, the CDU won the most seats in the German parliament, however it was with the party's second worst result ever, however Merz would become the Chancellor of Germany.[22]

Chancellor of Germany

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After the election, on 9 April 2025, Merz, together with the CSU party leader Markus Söder and the SPD co-leaders Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, presented the coalition agreement for the planned black-red coalition.[23] This agreement was signed on 5 May 2025,[24] after internal party votes on a government coalition were approved in the three parties in the weeks before.[25]

On 6 May, when the first round of voting took place, Merz was not confirmed as the next chancellor when he failed to win an absolute majority in parliament with only 310 votes in favour of his leadership out of a required 316 out of 630 votes.[26] It was the first time in post-war German history a chancellor candidate did not receive the necessary votes in the first round of voting.[26][27] A second round of voting took place on the same day,[28] resulting in him being elected as chancellor.[29]

Personal life

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Merz is Catholic and of French Huguenot descent on his mother's side. His wife, Charlotte Merz, is a judge; they have three children. He is also a licensed private pilot and owns two airplanes.[30][31]

In March 2020, Merz was tested positive for COVID-19 during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.[32]

Merz speaks German, French and English.[33]

References

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  1. ↑ Lohse, Eckart; Berlin. "Friedrich Merz: Dieser Kandidat passt nicht auf einen Bierdeckel" [Friedrich Merz: this candidate does not fit onto a drink coaster]. Faz.net (in German). Archived from the original on 2018-11-04 – via www.faz.net.
  2. ↑ "Friedrich Merz profile". Munzinger Online. Archived from the original on 2020-02-28.
  3. ↑ "Sauvigny". Deutsches Geschlechterbuch. Vol. 38.
  4. ↑ "Merz bejubelt rechten Großvater" [Merz applauds right-wing grandfather]. Die Tageszeitung: Taz (in German). 16 January 2004. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2020-10-04. Retrieved 22 Jan 2021.
  5. ↑ Claus Jacobi, Im Rad der Geschichte: Deutsche Verhältnisse, pg. 166, Herbig, 2002.
  6. ↑ "Elternhaus von Friedrich Merz in Brilon nun vor dem Verkauf?" [Friedrich Merz's parents' house in Brilon now up for sale?] (in German). 16 November 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-11-18.
  7. ↑ "Brilon: Wer hat das Kleingeld für dieses Kleinod?" [Brilon: Who has the change for this gem?] (in German). 22 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24.
  8. ↑ "Haben Sie eigentlich gedient, Herr Merz?" [Have you actually served, Mr. Merz?]. spiegel.de (in German). 2001-04-05. Archived from the original on 2024-06-30. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  9. ↑ "Friedrich Merz – Atlantik-Brücke e.V." Atlantik-Brücke e.V. (in German). Archived from the original on 31 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  10. ↑ Huggler, Justin (31 October 2018). "Merkel rival Friedrich Merz emerges as surprise early frontrunner to succeed chancellor". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2018-10-31 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  11. ↑ Weiland, Severin (2007-02-08). "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 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  12. ↑ Neukirch, Ralf; Schult, Christoph (2003-06-29). "Der Männerbund" [The Men's Association]. Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Archived from the original on 2024-09-02. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  13. ↑ Berlin, Kommentar von Stefan Braun (2018). "Die große Zeitenwende ist eine Chance für die CDU". sueddeutsche.de (in German). ISSN 0174-4917. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
  14. ↑ Berlin, Berliner Morgenpost- (2020-02-25). "Friedrich Merz kandidiert - und schießt gegen Laschet und Spahn". www.morgenpost.de (in German). Retrieved 2020-02-26.
  15. ↑ "Race to lead Angela Merkel's party in German opposition takes shape". Business Standard. November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  16. ↑ Geir Moulson (November 12, 2021). "Race to lead Angela Merkel's party in German opposition takes shape". AP News. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Germany's CDU ready to elect new leader to succeed Armin Laschet". Business Standard. November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  18. ↑ "CDU: Friedrich Merz wird neuer Parteichef". Der Spiegel (in German). 2021-12-17. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 2021-12-18.
  19. ↑ ""Ich habe ein Versprechen gegeben, dass sich 2021 nicht wiederholen wird"" ["I made a promise that 2021 will not be repeated"]. Der Spiegel. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-09-17. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  20. ↑ "German opposition Christian Democrats tap leader Friedrich Merz as their candidate for chancellor". AP News. 17 September 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-09-17. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  21. ↑ "German conservative leader announces chancellor candidacy". Politico. 2024-09-17. Archived from the original on 2024-09-18. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  22. ↑ Briancon, Pierre (23 February 2025). "Merz's victory opens new era of German uncertainty". Reuters. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  23. ↑ NDR. "Koalitionsvertrag: Schulterklopfen und harsche Kritik aus dem Norden". www.ndr.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  24. ↑ "Spitzen von Union und SPD unterzeichnen Koalitionsvertrag". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  25. ↑ tagesschau.de. "SPD-Mitglieder stimmen für Koalition mit CDU und CSU". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-05-05.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Kirby, Paul and Parker, Jessica (6 May 2025). "Germany's Merz falls short of majority in vote for chancellor". BBC News. London and Berlin. Archived from the original on 6 May 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  27. ↑ "Bundestag elects Merz as German chancellor in 2nd vote". DW. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  28. ↑ Angelos, James; Lunday, Chris; and Nöstlinger, Nette (6 May 2025). "Merz just lost the vote to be German chancellor. What next?". Politico. Archived from the original on 6 May 2025. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
  29. ↑ "Germany's Merz wins vote for chancellor after surviving historic defeat". www.bbc.com. 2025-05-06. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
  30. ↑ Sorge, Nils-Viktor (20 May 2014). "Ex-CDU-Star Friedrich Merz: Ganz unten" [Ex CDU star Friedrich Merz and the career setback]. www.manager-magazin.de (in German). Archived from the original on 2014-05-23. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  31. ↑ "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 2018-11-28.
  32. ↑ Welt.de: Friedrich Merz mit Coronavirus infiziert, March 17, 2020
  33. ↑ "Friedrich Merz, Senior Counsel". Mayer Brown. Archived from the original on 2020-07-06.

Other websites

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  Media related to Friedrich Merz at Wikimedia Commons

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