Friedrich Merz, Federal Chancellor of Germany. Biography

Friedrich Merz — The early years

Friedrich Merz was born on November 11, 1955 in the city of Brilon, located in North Rhine—Westphalia. His parents belonged to the legal elite: both Joachim and Paula Merz were lawyers. The future politician's maternal grandfather served as mayor of Brilon from 1917 to 1937. Friedrich's father led lawsuits against former Nazis in the 1970s and taught law at a local gymnasium. Later, he became a judge of the regional court and joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and remained a member until 2007.

By his own admission, Merz was a difficult child as a teenager: he had problems with his studies and often violated discipline. However, this did not prevent him from joining the Youth Union of the CDU at the age of 17. After graduating from high school, Merz served in the self-propelled artillery for a year, and then studied law at the universities of Bonn and Marburg from 1976 to 1982.

In 1985, having successfully passed the state exams, Merz began a career in the judicial system. He worked as a judge at the Saarbrucken District Court for a year, after which he moved to the position of lawyer at the German Union of Chemical Industry and began practicing law.

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Friedrich Merz — political career

Over the years, Merz has combined professional and political activities. His career began in 1980 with the leadership of the local branch of the CDU Youth Union in Brilon. Over time, he became one of the party's key economic and financial experts.

In 1989, Merz was elected to the European Parliament from the CDU, where he represented the interests of the South Westphalia region until 1994. Then he won the elections in the Hochsauerland district and became a member of the German Bundestag, where he served from 1994 to 2009.

In 1988, Merz became deputy leader of the CDU/CSU faction of Wolfgang Schaeuble and two years later became head of the faction. After the CDU's defeat in the September 2002 parliamentary elections, Schaeuble resigned as party chairman and was replaced by Angela Merkel, who later became Chancellor of Germany.

Merz has often criticized Merkel's work, especially in matters of migration and tax policy. In the early 2000s, Merz retired from active political activity, but continued to comment on key events during Merkel's rule, from the global financial crisis to the policy of "open doors" for migrants. From 2009 to 2019, he also headed the public organization "Atlantic bridge", is engaged in the strengthening of relations between Germany and the United States.

In January 2018, Merz returned to public service, becoming an adviser on Brexit and transatlantic relations in the Government of North Rhine—Westphalia. His appointment was considered a good decision against the backdrop of difficult relations between the United States and the European Union during the presidency of Donald Trump.

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Friedrich Merz — Chancellor of Germany

In September 2024, the CDU, together with its main ally the Christian Social Union (CSU), approved Merz as a candidate for chancellor in the upcoming Bundestag elections. As a result, the CDU/CSU bloc won, receiving 28.6% of the vote and the largest number of seats in parliament. This gave Merz the right to form his own cabinet of ministers.

In his post, Merz actively advocated for business development. During the 2024-2025 election campaign, he repeatedly stressed the importance of deregulating the economy and reducing bureaucracy. He also proposed introducing tax incentives for companies that were supposed to be financed by reducing spending on social benefits and migration policy.

In March 2025, amendments to the basic law of Germany were adopted at the initiative of Merz. They make it possible to increase public debt to finance defense needs, bypassing the "debt brake" rule, which prohibits spending more than goes into the budget. Merz justified this decision by changing the geopolitical situation.

In January 2026, he also approved a new model of military service, which provides for a medical examination for all adult boys and mandatory conscription in case of a shortage of volunteers. At the same time, migration policy and asylum rules have been tightened.

Friedrich Merz — entrepreneurial activity

Since 1986, Merz has been practicing law, interacting with German industrial associations. In 2005, he began working with the international law firm Mayer Brown, and from 2017 to 2021 he held the position of Senior legal Adviser in its Dusseldorf office.

In addition, he was a member of the governing bodies of other companies.:

• He was the head of the Cologne/Bonn Airport Control Authority.;
• He was a member of the Supervisory Board of the private bank HSBC Germany
• He was a member of the board of directors of the Swiss train manufacturer Stadler Rail.;
• He headed the supervisory Board of Wepa, a toilet paper manufacturer.

In 2016, Merz assumed the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland, the German branch of BlackRock, the largest American asset management company. This activity has repeatedly attracted criticism from opponents who accused him of having links with the financial lobby. To avoid a conflict of interest, Merz left the company in 2021.

Friedrich Merz — Views

Merz defines himself as an "economic liberal" and a "social conservative." He has repeatedly advocated for maximum freedom of trade and competition, lower taxes to boost economic growth, and a radical simplification of tax legislation. The politician also spoke in favor of the development of nuclear energy, calling the closure of the last three German nuclear power plants in 2023 "madness." At the same time, he remains opposed to the use of Russian energy resources.

In addition, Merz called for stricter asylum rules and suggested that dual citizens should be stripped of their German passports if they committed a crime.

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MEP Fernand Kartheiser — on the prospects of dialogue with the Russian Federation, the risks of conflict between Moscow and NATO, as well as on new parliamentary contacts

Merz has consistently advocated close cooperation between Germany and its EU partners and the creation of an "army for Europe." In February 2025, he proposed extending the French and British nuclear umbrellas to Germany, excluding the creation of its own nuclear weapons.

He also supports strengthening the military capabilities of NATO countries on the border with Ukraine and the continued supply of military equipment to Kiev, including long-range Taurus cruise missiles. At the same time, Merz stressed that Germany should not become a party to the conflict and noted the need to restore relations with Russia in the future.

Friedrich Merz — personal life

Since 1981, Friedrich Merz has been married to Charlotte Merz (nee Gass). The couple met while studying at the university. The politician's wife works as a judge. They have three children.: a son and two daughters.

During the periods of withdrawal from active politics, Merz, being an avid aviation enthusiast, obtained a pilot's license and purchased two personal aircraft. In the summer of 2024, the CDU leader demonstrated his skills by taking the helm of a Eurofighter fighter jet at the Laag Air Force base.