Against Scholz and in support of Ukraine — who is Merz, the candidate for chancellor?

What is known about him, how he plans to change the German government, and what he thinks about the Russia-Ukraine war — in the article by Novini.LIVE.

Friedrich Merz's Career

Friedrich Merz is known in Germany as a lawyer and politician. After graduating from university, he worked as a judge and engaged in legal practice. He later became a member of the European Parliament, and in 1994, he was elected to the Bundestag, where he focused on economic legislation.

In 2000, he became the leader of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) faction but served in this role for only two years, as the faction suffered defeat in the 2002 elections.

Angela Merkel succeeded him as the faction leader, and she subsequently removed him from his position and blocked his proposed tax reform. In return, he criticized her decisions.

Currently, Merz is one of the leading candidates for the position of Chancellor of Germany. His competitors include the current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the leader of the Alliance 90/The Greens Robert Habeck, and the leader of the far-right and pro-Russian political force Alternative for Germany Alice Weidel.

On Merz's personal website, the slogan reads "Bringing Germany Forward Again." The homepage features a countdown to the government elections.

Merz's Stance on the War in Ukraine

Friedrich Merz is regarded as a principal critic of Scholz and a supporter of Ukraine. He was one of the first to visit Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale war. He arrived in Kyiv in May 2022 and visited the devastated Irpin and other towns in the region.

He had previously criticized the construction of the "Nord Stream 2," believing it exacerbated the conflict. Following Navalny's poisoning, he called for the halt of "Nord Stream 2."

As a candidate for Chancellor of Germany, he has repeatedly commented on the war in Ukraine. He believes that the West does not aim to defeat Russia, but Ukraine must restore its sovereignty and territorial integrity. In his view, the balance of power is dreadful, as Ukraine's allies have done too little and too late.

At the Munich Security Conference, he stated that the issue of Ukraine's NATO membership should not be off the table, even though current Chancellor Olaf Scholz claims that Ukraine cannot achieve this. The meeting between Zelensky and Merz also took place in Munich.

"Meeting with Friedrich Merz and a good conversation about European politics. Thanked him for the support and readiness to defend our common interests together. Germany is among our largest partners, the biggest defenders of life. And we truly appreciate this, especially the help with air defense: thousands of lives have been saved. This is how we should continue to work with all partners," Zelensky wrote.

Let us remind you that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also anticipating the elections, hoping for victory. What his role is in foreign policy and the war between Russia and Ukraine — we wrote earlier.