Friedrich Merz

Profile · Mar 1, 2025 · 14m

He’s the former corporate lawyer, who has a pilot's licence and loves music, but has never before been a government minister.

Friedrich Merz was born in the west German town of Brilon in 1955 into a prominent conservative, Catholic family. He joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) while still at school, before going on to study law.

Merz then worked as a lawyer and judge for a few years, but he always had his eye on politics.

He was elected to the European Parliament in 1989, and his journey to the top has been a winding one.

Sidelined by Angela Merkel before she became chancellor, he…