Former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) will participate in the election of the new Chancellor in the Bundestag on May 6th. This was confirmed by Merkel’s office in response to a request from the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. CDU Chairman Friedrich Merz will run for the position of Chancellor in the planned black-red coalition. Merkel and Merz have had a critical relationship for over 20 years.
“Confirming that former Chancellor Dr. Merkel has agreed to participate in the session of the German Bundestag on May 6th, 2025, for the election and swearing-in of the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany as a guest on the honor balcony” said a spokesperson to the RND.
The 70-year-old had largely stayed out of the election campaign. However, she criticized the joint vote of the Union group with the partially secured far-right AfD on the topic of migration at the end of January as wrong. This was received with mixed reactions within the party. Supporters of Merz saw it as a “dirty play” while in the liberal camp, Merkel’s warning was seen as a correct intervention from the outside.
Merz had previously sharply criticized Merkel as Chancellor from the political sidelines. Among other things, the 69-year-old today accused her of having a “dreadful” government policy and leadership weakness during her last term as Chancellor. Merkel had ousted Merz as Bundestag faction leader in 2002. He left the Bundestag in 2009, but returned in 2021 and was elected new CDU Chairman in 2022.