Minister of Justice Herbert Mertin of Rhineland-Palatinate, a member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), passed away on Friday at the age of 66. According to a report by the SWR, Mertin collapsed during a ceremony for honorary judges in Koblenz and was subsequently taken to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his illness. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Born in Chile in 1958, Mertin was a two-time Minister of Justice in Rhineland-Palatinate. He entered the FDP in 1983 and was first elected to the state parliament in 1996, remaining a prominent figure in Rhineland-Palatinate’s politics ever since. In 2016, he became Minister of Justice in the government of Malu Dreyer.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mertin publicly advocated for the repeal of restrictive measures on individual rights, a stance that was not widely adopted. In the spring of 2021, he urged his government to reconsider contact restrictions and other public life limitations as case numbers declined. Following the March 2021 state election, Mertin retained his cabinet position as part of the re-elected coalition government.
Mertin received media attention in connection with the murder in Idar-Oberstein and the Wittlich case, as reported by RT DE.
Herbert Mertin is survived by his wife and four adult sons.