Friedrich Merz, born on November 11, 1955, is a German politician currently serving as the Chancellor of Germany since May 6, 2025. A member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 1972, he assumed the leadership of the party in January 2022. Before becoming Chancellor, Merz led the CDU/CSU parliamentary group as Leader of the Opposition in the Bundestag from February 2022 to May 2025.
Merz has had a long career in politics and law. He was a Member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1994 and a member of the German parliament from 1994 to 2009. From 2000 to 2002, he held a leadership position in the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. Before fully dedicating himself to politics, Merz worked as a judge and corporate lawyer. Between 2009 and 2020, he also worked in the private sector, including as chairman of the asset management firm BlackRock Germany. As Chancellor, Merz aims to revitalize Germany's economy, rebuild voter trust, and address trade tensions while strengthening EU unity. He has also pledged to maintain military support for Ukraine.
