Friedrich Merz was born on November 11, 1955, in Brilon, Germany. His full name is Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz. His father served as a judge in local courts, shaping Merz’s early exposure to law and public service. He studied law at the University of Bonn (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn) and at Philipps University of Marburg. Before completing his professional career, he fulfilled his compulsory military service and subsequently worked as a lawyer. Although he joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) while still a student, his ambitions were always firmly oriented toward politics.

Between 1989 and 1994, Friedrich Merz served as a Member of the European Parliament. From 1994 to 2009, he was a Member of the German Bundestag, where he emerged as one of the most influential conservative figures within the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. From 2000 to 2002, he served for the first time as Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, becoming the Leader of the Opposition during this period.

In 1981, Friedrich Merz married Charlotte Merz (Gass), who continues to serve as a judge. The couple has three children: Carola Clüsener, Philippe Merz, and Constanze Merz.

As he rose through the ranks of the Christian Democratic Union, Friedrich Merz became one of the most prominent internal rivals of Angela Merkel. Their ideological differences—Merkel’s centrist approach versus Merz’s economically liberal and socially conservative stance—defined internal CDU power struggles for years. Following this rivalry, Merz was gradually sidelined within the party leadership.

In 2009, Friedrich Merz withdrew from active politics and transitioned into the private sector. During this period, he held senior positions at BlackRock Germany and HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt. He also served on the supervisory boards of EY Germany and the football club Borussia Dortmund. Throughout these years, he worked extensively in corporate law and lobbying.

On October 29, 2018, Angela Merkel announced that she would step down as CDU party leader in December 2018 and retire from politics entirely by 2021. Following this announcement, Friedrich Merz returned to frontline politics. On December 7, 2018, at the CDU party congress in Hamburg, he ran for the party leadership but lost to Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who was widely seen as Merkel’s preferred successor.

Friedrich Merz ran again for the CDU leadership at the party congress on January 16, 2021, this time competing against Armin Laschet, then Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia. He was once again unsuccessful, as Laschet won the leadership and later became the CDU/CSU candidate for chancellor.

In 2021, Friedrich Merz returned to the German Bundestag after being re-elected as a CDU member of parliament. Following the CDU/CSU’s poor performance in the federal elections on September 26, 2021, Armin Laschet resigned as party leader on October 7, 2021.

On December 16, 2021, Friedrich Merz won the CDU leadership election, becoming party leader. From 2022 onward, he also assumed the role of Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, making him the Leader of the Opposition in the 20th German Bundestag during the government of Olaf Scholz.

As CDU leader, Friedrich Merz sought to reposition the party along a more conservative line. He placed the prevention of irregular migration at the center of the CDU’s political agenda. In foreign policy, he delivered assertive speeches at the Munich Security Conference, arguing that Germany should take on a stronger leadership role within the European Union. He also pledged firm support for Ukraine, including backing its aspirations for NATO membership.

In September 2024, the Union parties (CDU/CSU) nominated Friedrich Merz as their candidate for Chancellor in the early federal elections scheduled for February 23, 2025. According to initial results, the conservative Christian Union parties (CDU/CSU) emerged victorious in the early general election held on that date.

Following the election, coalition negotiations began between the CDU/CSU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Forty-five days after the vote, on May 5, 2025, the parties reached an agreement on a coalition protocol that would shape Germany’s political direction for the next four years.

On February 5, 2025, Friedrich Merz secured the required vote of confidence in the second round of voting in the German Bundestag and officially became Chancellor of Germany.

Source: Biyografiler.com