Who is the new strongman? Controversial figure, business tycoon - and now Merz is suddenly set to become chancellor
Germany probably has a new chancellor: after the elections on Sunday, it is clear that Friedrich Merz is likely to take the helm. Who is the man?
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- Germany probably has a new chancellor: Friedrich Merz.
- That is virtually certain after Sunday's elections.
- But who is the man?
After the election, Germany will probably have a new chancellor: Friedrich Merz. At the age of 69, the Sauerland native is likely to take over the leadership of the country if he succeeds in forming a government. The traffic light government is a thing of the past, and this Sunday marks a turning point in German politics.
But who is the new strong man? Friedrich Merz was born on November 11, 1955 in Brilon, North Rhine-Westphalia. Growing up in a conservative family of lawyers, he was shaped early on by the values of discipline and commitment. After graduating from high school in 1975, he did his military service in the artillery unit of the German army.
He then studied law at the universities of Bonn and Marburg, supported by a scholarship from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. He began his legal career in 1985 as a judge at Saarbrücken District Court before moving to the German Chemical Industry Association as in-house counsel in 1986 - in other words, he worked for them as a lawyer.
Entry into politics
Merz began his political career in 1989 when he was elected to the European Parliament, where he served until 1994. He then entered the German Bundestag and quickly established himself as the CDU's financial expert.
In 2000, he took over the chairmanship of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag and thus acted as leader of the opposition. After the 2002 Bundestag elections, he was succeeded by Angela Merkel, whereupon Merz gradually withdrew from politics and resigned his seat in 2009.
After a successful career in business, including as Chairman of BlackRock Germany, Merz returned to the political arena in 2018. In January 2022, he was elected chairman of the CDU and reshaped the party with a more conservative orientation, setting a liberal economic tone. His stance and economic expertise won over voters during the early Bundestag elections, and he now takes over as Federal Chancellor. No wonder, as the economy was the big, dominant issue in the election campaign.
Controversies and defining statements
Merz's political career is characterized by striking statements and sometimes controversial debates. In 2000, he introduced the term "Leitkultur" into the public debate and demanded that immigrants should "adapt to a liberal German Leitkultur". This demand triggered a broad social debate on integration and national identity.
In September 2022, Merz came under fire when he spoke of "social tourism" in connection with Ukrainian refugees in an interview. After a strong public reaction, he apologized for this choice of words.
Another controversial moment occurred in January 2025, when a CDU motion on migration policy received majority support in the Bundestag with the backing of the AfD. This action was sharply criticized by political opponents and parts of the public, and tens of thousands of people took to the streets to demonstrate against the right.
Private life
Merz has been married to judge Charlotte Merz since 1981. The couple have three grown-up children and live in Arnsberg in the Sauerland region. In addition to his political activities, Merz is known as a passionate private pilot and owns his own plane: an Austrian-made twin-engine Diamond DA62.
Now he is also at the helm of German politics. Where he will steer this ship remains to be seen. For now, coalition negotiations are on the agenda, which will require compromises. Unlike in his plane, Chancellor Merz is not alone in deciding which direction to take.
