Katja Hoyer, Guest Columnist

Who Is Friedrich Merz, and Can He Fix Germany?

The opposition leader is expected to be Germany’s next chancellor. No one knows if he has what it takes to steer his country out of the gloom.

February 13, 2025 at 5:00 AM UTC

By Katja Hoyer

Katja Hoyer is a German-British historian and journalist. Her latest book “Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe” is out in May.

Friedrich Merz, chancellor candidate and leader of the Christian Democrats.
Photographer: Maja Hitij/Getty Images Europe

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The man likely to become Germany’s next chancellor is an enigma. To some, Friedrich Merz is a populist provocateur; others see him as a staunch conservative or a shrewd economist. If his party, the conservative CDU/CSU, wins the German elections on Feb. 23, he’ll have to rise above these labels and project effective statesmanship fast.

Nobody can be expected to fix Germany’s problems overnight, but with the far-right snapping at their heels, centrists may only have one more chance to shake Germany out of its malaise. The question is: Has Merz got what it takes?