Friedrich Merz: Prominent German Politician

Early Life and Career

Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz, known as Friedrich Merz, was born on November 11, 1955, in Brilon, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He earned law degrees from the universities of Münster and Saarbrücken and pursued a career in law before entering politics.

Political Career

In 1989, Merz was elected as a member of the German Bundestag for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He served in various parliamentary roles, including as parliamentary state secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice from 1991 to 1994.

From 2000 to 2002, Merz held the position of chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag. In 2005, he became secretary-general of the CDU and served until 2009.

After a break from politics, Merz returned in 2018 and was elected as chairman of the CDU in 2022. He has been a vocal critic of the current German government and has advocated for conservative values.