Age, Biography and Wiki
Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz was born on November 11, 1955, in Brilon, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. From a Roman Catholic family, Merz studied law at the University of Bonn and began his professional life as a judge before transitioning into corporate law. Over the years, he built a reputation as a formidable politician and businessman, rising to become Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 2022 and Chancellor of Germany in May 2025.
His official biography is featured on Wikipedia, highlighting his roles in politics, business, and law.
| Occupation | Leaders |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 11 November 1955 |
| Age | 69 Years |
| Birth Place | Brilon, West Germany |
| Horoscope | Scorpio |
| Country | Germany |
Height, Weight & Measurements
There is no widely available or official information regarding Friedrich Merz’s height, weight, or specific body measurements in public sources.
While Merz, as opposition leader, had demanded that the German government of Scholz deliver German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, he himself said that he would not necessarily deliver Taurus cruise missiles if he were chancellor. As chancellor, he would provide them if Russia or Vladimir Putin did not comply with Germany's and other European countries' request to stop attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and on the condition that France and Great Britain, for their part, lift the range limitation on the weapons they delivered to Ukraine. Merz said he would, as chancellor, try to bring about a European decision on the matter of the question of whether to allow Ukraine to strike against targets deep within Russian territory with Western weapons. He said he would also signal Putin his willingness to talk beforehand. In December 2024 he said that Germany is letting Ukraine fight with one arm strapped on its back. Germany should instead give Ukraine the possibility to defend itself effectively with weapons from Germany. In 2025, Merz supported purchasing long-range missiles from Ukraine, adding that there were "no more range limitations for weapons delivered to Ukraine" from Germany; this change was seen by Politico as allowing Taurus missiles to be delivered to Ukraine in the future. He added that "Ukraine has the right to use the weapons it receives, even beyond its own borders, against military targets on Russian territory".
| Height | |
| Weight | |
| Body Measurements | |
| Eye Color | |
| Hair Color |
Dating & Relationship Status
Friedrich Merz is married and has three children. He has kept his family life relatively private, maintaining a low profile compared to his public political and professional persona.
His father was a judge and a member of the CDU. The Sauvigny family was a locally prominent patrician family in Brilon, of French ancestry. His maternal grandfather was Brilon mayor Josef Paul Sauvigny. Merz is Catholic. He was raised in his mother's family home Sauvigny House in Brilon. The house was announced for sale for €2million in 2021. Two of his three siblings died relatively early; his younger sister died in the age of 21 in a traffic accident and his brother died of multiple sclerosis before the age of 50.
Merz has been accused of veering between inclusive rhetoric and dog whistling. On a TV talk show, he said that female teachers in German schools were experiencing a lack of respect from "little pashas", apparently referring to sons of Muslim parents, and allegedly made "xenophobic" remarks calling rejected asylum seekers "social tourists" who come to Germany to "get their teeth done". Weeks before, Merz had referred to some Ukrainian refugees as "welfare tourists" and said that many had come to Germany seeking safety, only to then travel back and forth between both countries after securing social benefits, remarks that he later said he regretted. Merz had also complained about "problems with foreigners" and insisted on a German Leitkultur (lit. 'lead culture'), a term that many argue calls for compulsory assimilation. In the 1990s, Merz was in the minority even in his conservative CDU when he voted against liberalizing Germany's abortion laws, against preimplantation genetic diagnosis and criminalizing marital rape.
In 2023, he said, in response to the United States' admonition to Israel to abide by international law, the US had a different relationship to Israel than Germany, and that Germany has an obligation to help the country "without ifs and buts". In October 2024, Merz successfully urged the German government to resume weapons deliveries to Israel, including spare parts for tanks. He proposed stripping dual nationals of their German citizenship for protesting against Israel.
Merz is married to judge Charlotte Merz. They have three children together and reside in Arnsberg in the Sauerland region. He is the first chancellor in 27 years (since Helmut Kohl) to have biological children (although Gerhard Schröder adopted a daughter from Russia in July 2004). Their son, born in 1981, holds a doctorate in philosophy, their elder daughter is a physician, and their younger daughter is a lawyer. Merz has seven grandchildren. In 2005, Merz and his wife established the Friedrich und Charlotte Merz Stiftung, a foundation supporting projects in the education sector. In addition to his native language Merz also speaks English and French.
| Parents | |
| Husband | Charlotte Gass (m. 1981) |
| Sibling | |
| Children |
Net Worth and Salary
Net Worth:
As of 2025, Friedrich Merz’s net worth is estimated at around €12 million. This substantial fortune derives from his extensive careers in law, corporate governance, and board memberships with major German and European companies.
Salary:
As a member of parliament (prior to becoming Chancellor), his annual salary was reported between approximately $153,000 and $210,000 USD, depending on the source. However, his true income has been supplemented significantly by his legal work and board positions, with some reports citing annual earnings in the seven figures (around €1 million per year).
In 2005 he has been described by German media as a new member of the Andean Pact (CDU), a originally secret network of influential CDU men formed in 1979 by then members of Young Union during a trip to the South American Andes region. The Andean pact stood in opposition to Merkel, especially in the five years before she became chancellor in 2005, after she had become chairperson of the CDU. Years before his admission, Merz had already a "fundamental loyalty" to his peers in the Andean Pact. Between 2005 and 2009, Merz was a member of the Committee on Legal Affairs. In 2006, he was one of nine parliamentarians who filed a complaint at the Federal Constitutional Court against the disclosure of additional sources of income; the complaint was ultimately unsuccessful. By 2007, he announced he would not be running for political office in the 2009 elections.
On 5 March 2025, Merz proposed a significant increase in defence spending. He stated at the press conference: "Germany and Europe must quickly strengthen their defence capabilities. The CDU, CSU and SPD will table a motion to amend the Basic Law so that defence spending above 1% of GDP is exempt from the debt brake". This would allow Germany to increase its debt without limits in order to finance its military and provide military assistance to Ukraine. Economists have warned that Merz's plan could trigger inflation and increase Germany's government debt. Germany would pay approximately €71 billion in interest annually from 2035. During negotiations for the next German cabinet, Merz and outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz reached an agreement to reform the debt brake by amending Paragraphs 109, 115 and 143h of the Basic Law to exempt defence spending exceeding 1% of GDP. Next to the defence spending Merz agreed to create a special fund of €500 billion for "investments in infrastructure and for additional investments to achieve climate neutrality by 2045". On 18 March 2025, German lawmakers approved the amendment to the Basic Law. The change will allow the Merz government to spend €500 billion on infrastructure and green energy within 10 years and to have defence spending above 1% of GDP to be exempted from the debt brake; this allows an unlimited debt-based financing of defence spending. Merz, who had promised to not touch the debt brake rule prior to the German federal election, justified the increase in defence spending by the threat from Russia, citing Putin's "war of aggression against Europe". He called the decision "the first major step towards a new European defence community." He also planned to increase military aid to Ukraine. The trillion-euro spending package was approved before the 21st Bundestag was constituted on 25 March 2025, where The Left and AfD would have the ability to block it. A two-thirds majority was needed to change the constitution. The plan was supported by the CDU, CSU, SPD, and the Greens. Merz's fiscal package was welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Merz has been known for his many secondary jobs over several legislative periods. As a member of the Bundestag (federal parliament of Germany), Merz had a total of 18 secondary jobs in the 14th legislative period (2002–2005) and at least 11 secondary jobs in the 15th legislative period (2005–2009). In 2006 alone, Merz was represented on the boards of eight different companies. In 2007, Manager Magazine wrote about Merz's secondary jobs: "Merz probably earns a nice six-figure sum annually for his work in the law firm. For the year 2006, a conservative estimate shows that Merz's additional income, apart from his lawyer's salary, amounts to a quarter of a million euros." His many secondary activities raised concerns over whether Merz takes his mandate as a member of the Bundestag seriously and thoroughly. In 2007, Merz wrote a letter to his voters in an attempt to defend himself against criticism of his secondary activities.
In 2006, there were discussions about conflicts of interest of members of the Bundestag who carried out other activities in addition to their parliamentary mandate. As a result, an agreement was reached that members of parliament should disclose their income from secondary activities to give the public an opportunity to assess whether their representatives may be harmfully dependent and influenced by financial contributions from third parties. Merz, who at that time had 18 secondary activities in addition to his parliamentary work according to one source, 11 according to another source and 14 according to the management of the Bundestag, filed a lawsuit with the Federal Constitutional Court together with eight other members of the German Bundestag against the disclosure of their secondary income. At the hearing in October 2006, Merz pointed out that according to Article 38 of the Basic Law of Germany (constitution), members of parliament are "not bound by instructions and are subject only to their conscience". The President of the Bundestag cannot impose sanctions on members of parliament (MPs) for failing to disclose their secondary income, as such an action could be deemed unconstitutional. It has been argued that the regulation may encourage MPs to pursue career politics, potentially distancing them from real-life experiences. Secondary activities are not prohibited; instead, the regulation focuses on disclosing the number and amount of fees received. In July 2007, the Federal Constitutional Court voted four to four to reject a lawsuit, emphasizing that the political mandate must be central to parliamentary activities and highlighting concerns about potential bias from external payments.
In November 2018, when asked in an interview with the tabloid media Bild, Merz said that he was a millionaire (without distinguishing between income and wealth millionaires) and thus would belong in his understanding to the upper middle class. He later specified that he, at that time, earned "around one million euros gross" per year. These statements met with a broad public pushback and sparked wider criticism in Germany. Journalists, economists and financial advisors in Germany placed Merz in the upper class. According to the German Federal Bank, at the time in question, one was among the top 5 percent in wealth among the German population with a (total) net worth of at least €722,000. Merz's private assets include real estate and two aircraft.
Career, Business and Investments
Early Career:
Merz started as a judge before moving to the legal department of a major German chemical company. This foundation in law and corporate governance led to opportunities in both politics and business.
Political Career:
He was a member of the Bundestag (German parliament) for many years and served as Leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. He became Leader of the Opposition in 2022 and was elected Chancellor of Germany in May 2025.
After the 2002 federal election, Merkel claimed the parliamentary group chairmanship for herself, while Merz was elected deputy parliamentary group leader. In December 2004, he resigned from this office, thereby giving up the years-long power struggle with Merkel and gradually withdrew from politics, focusing on his legal career and leaving parliament entirely in 2009, until his return to parliament in 2021. In 2004, he became a senior counsel with Mayer Brown, where he has focused on mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, and compliance. He has served on the boards of numerous companies, including BlackRock Germany. A corporate lawyer and reputed multimillionaire, Merz is also a licensed private pilot and owns two aeroplanes. In 2018, he announced his return to politics. He was elected CDU leader in December 2021, assuming the office in January 2022. He had failed to win the position in two previous leadership elections in 2018, and January 2021. In September 2024, he became the Union's candidate for Chancellor of Germany ahead of the 2025 German federal election. The CDU/CSU subsequently reached an agreement to form a coalition with the SPD. Merz was elected chancellor on 6 May 2025 in a second round of voting, after unexpectedly failing to garner the required absolute majority of parliamentary votes in the first round of voting – a first in German history.
As a young politician in the 1970s and 1980s, Merz was a staunch supporter of anti-communism, the dominant political doctrine of West Germany and a core tenet of the CDU. He is seen as a representative of the traditional establishment conservative and pro-business wings of the CDU. His book Mehr Kapitalismus wagen (Venturing More Capitalism) advocates economic liberalism. Prior to the second presidency of Donald Trump, he was frequently described as being "exceptionally pro-American", and was once the chairman of the Atlantik-Brücke association which promotes German-American friendship and Atlanticism. He is a staunch supporter of the European Union, NATO, and the liberal international order, having described himself as "a truly convinced European, a convinced Transatlanticist, and a German open to the world". Merz advocates a closer union and "an army for Europe".
From 1966 to 1971 Merz studied at the Gymnasium Petrinum Brilon, which he left for disciplinary reasons, moving to the Friedrich-Spee Gymnasium in Rüthen where he finished his Abitur in 1975. From July 1975 to September 1976 Merz served his military service as a soldier with a self-propelled artillery unit of the German Army. From 1976 he studied law with a scholarship from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, first at the University of Bonn, later at the University of Marburg. At Bonn he was a member of, a Catholic student fraternity founded in 1844 that is part of the Cartellverband. After finishing law school in 1985, he became a judge in Saarbrücken. In 1986 he left his position as a judge in order to work as an in-house attorney-at-law at the German Chemical Industry Association in Bonn and Frankfurt from 1986 to 1989.
In November 2017, Merz was appointed by Minister-President Armin Laschet of North Rhine-Westphalia as his Commissioner for Brexit and Transatlantic Relations, an unpaid advisory position.
Merz has focused on economic, foreign, security, and family policies. He is seen as a representative of the pro-business wings of the CDU. He is viewed as an economic liberal who makes some concessions to conservative party members who stress the need for social engagement. Merz embraces some conservative social policies regarding families, but supports progressive views on feminism. He is associated with neoliberalism.
Social Network
There is no publicly verified personal social media presence for Friedrich Merz. He maintains a professional and private profile, with official communications and updates disseminated through party and government channels.
On 25 February 2020, he announced his candidacy in the first 2021 CDU leadership election. His closest competitors were Armin Laschet and Norbert Röttgen. After several postponements, the election of the new CDU party president took place at the party congress on 15–16 January 2021, which was the first time in the party's history that it was held fully online. In the first round, Merz received 385 votes, 5 more than Laschet. In the second round, Merz failed to win the party president's post for the second time, receiving 466 votes out of 1001 delegates, while Laschet received 521 votes.
Merz opposed the Bürgergeld (unemployment payment) and, like the CDU, wants to see it abolished and replaced by another system called New Basic Security. The trade union ver.di described CDU plans for basic security as "inhumane and unconstitutional". Merz wants to altogether cancel unemployment payments to those who could work but do not. According to Merz, there are 1.7 million recipients who meet that definition.
Education
Merz earned his law degree from the University of Bonn, which laid the groundwork for his successful careers in law, business, and politics.
He joined the Young Union in 1972. After finishing law school in 1985, Merz worked as a judge and corporate lawyer before entering full-time politics in 1989 when he was elected to the European Parliament. After serving one term he was elected to the Bundestag, where he established himself as the leading financial policy expert in the CDU. He was elected chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in 2000, the same year as Angela Merkel was elected chairwoman of the CDU, and at the time they were chief rivals for the leadership of the party, which led the opposition together with CSU.
In November 2018, he reiterated that the CDU must clearly distance itself from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), reiterating allegations that the latter is openly National Socialist and has antisemitic undertones. In 2019, he said it was right for the CDU to refuse co-operation with the AfD. However, in the same year Merz spoke in favour of a "more calm approach" to the AfD: "I would have long since elected an AfD vice president in the Bundestag (federal parliament). [...] This party was elected with 12.6 percent. It has neither been banned nor classified as unconstitutional. It has millions of voters behind it who should not be made to play the victim". In December 2021, shortly before taking over the party chairmanship, he said: "The state associations [of the CDU], especially in the east, are getting a crystal clear message from us: If anyone raises a hand to work with the AfD, then a party exclusion procedure will take place the next day". However, Merz did not take action against the steadily increasing local cooperation between CDU politicians and AfD politicians from the following year onwards, partially due to the AfD's rising electoral performance. In June 2023, he declared that cooperation between the two parties would only be prohibited in "legislative bodies", by which he meant the EU, federal and state levels. A month later, after being criticized over an apparent failure to implement his "announcement" from December 2021, he reiterated his differentiation regarding political levels and said that in local parliaments, "of course [...] we must look for ways to jointly shape the city, the state and the district". Merz was criticized by large parts of his own party, who feared a crumbling of the firewall against the far right. Minister-President of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer (CDU), however, declared that a refusal of cross-party cooperation in substantive decisions at the local level was not sustainable in a democracy. In June 2023, Merz retracted his promise in 2018 to halve the AfD, saying that his party in the opposition could not halve the AfD if the government counteracted by "strengthening it" with its policies.
