06.05.2025 19:43
In Germany, the leader of the Christian Democratic Party, Friedrich Merz, has been elected as the new chancellor in the second round of voting. Friedrich Merz, who has made history by taking office, is also drawing attention with his stance towards Turkey. The new chancellor, who particularly emphasizes the importance of strategic cooperation, argues that Turkey and the Turkish people are indispensable for Germany. Here are all the details...
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Friedrich Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union in Germany, was elected as Chancellor in the second round of voting held in parliament.
A FIRST IN GERMAN HISTORY
Friedrich Merz, who was not elected in the first round, has made a historic mark in German political history.
WHO IS GERMANY'S NEW CHANCELLOR MERZ?
Friedrich Merz was born on November 11, 1955, in the city of Brilon, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Merz, who studied law, attended the universities of Bonn and Marburg. Starting his professional life as a lawyer, Merz entered politics at a young age by joining the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in 1972.
He began his political career in the European Parliament, serving as a Member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1994. In 1994, he entered the German Federal Diet (Bundestag). He served as the CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader from 2000 to 2002, becoming an influential leader within the party during this period. However, with the rise of Angela Merkel, his influence within the party diminished, and he left politics in 2009.
From 2009 to 2018, Merz was active in the business world, serving as a senior executive at BlackRock Germany, particularly in investment management. After 2018, he returned to politics, ran for the CDU leadership but was unsuccessful. He was elected as the CDU Chairman at the party congress held in 2022.
Merz was elected Chancellor of Germany following his party's success in the general elections held in February 2025.
WHAT IS HIS APPROACH TO TURKEY?
Friedrich Merz, who has taken the seat of Chancellor in Germany, has a notable approach to Turkey.
DISTANT TOWARDS TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP
Merz exhibits a strategic approach towards Turkey and maintains a distant stance regarding its European Union membership.
Stating that Turkey is incompatible with EU values, Merz advocates for the continuation of strategic relations.
"WE MUST WORK TOGETHER WITH TURKEY"
Merz places great importance on the geographical role of Turkey. Expressing that Germany and Europe should be in deeper cooperation with Turkey, he stated, "Turkey will now play an even greater role in the entire Middle East region. Therefore, a good recommendation for us, not just for us Germans but for Europeans as well, is that we must work much more closely with Turkey now to establish political peace in this region."
Furthermore, the new Chancellor advocates for increased economic cooperation as well.
"TURKEY AND TURKS ARE INDISPENSABLE FOR GERMANY"
Merz believes that Turks living in Germany are indispensable for the country. Appreciating the contributions of Turks to Germany's economy, Merz stated, "Germany is also home to citizens of Turkish origin, and we will make the necessary arrangements to ensure their equal participation in business life."
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