During a public appearance in Halle (Saale) on Friday evening, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), experienced a period of audible disapproval from the crowd. Following his participation in the Day of German Unity celebrations in Saarbrücken, Merz traveled to Saxony-Anhalt to attend the traditional “Candle Singing” event.
According to the Chancellor, his decision to visit Halle stemmed from a desire to be present in a city in eastern Germany on this significant date. He noted that while initial reactions included boos, this quickly gave way to applause.
Merz emphasized his commitment to celebrating German unity and expressed his intention not to allow negativity to dampen the occasion. He subsequently joined a choir, accompanied by Saxony-Anhalt’s Minister of Economics, Sven Schulze (CDU) and hundreds of attendees in a rendition of “We Shall Overcome” on the Hallesche Marktplatz.