Merkel congratulates Merz on his 70th – but there is no surprise!

Merkel congratulates Merz on his 70th – but there is no surprise!

Angela Merkel, the former Chancellor, will certainly find a few warm words to congratulate her successor Friedrich Merz on his 70th birthday. How Antennas Münster reports, she plans to do this in the form of a handwritten congratulation. However, there will not be the opportunity to do this in person, as Merkel will not be able to take part in the Union faction's celebration in the protocol room of the Reichstag building on November 11th.

On November 10, she will travel to Israel to receive an honorary doctorate from the Weizmann Institute of Science. This honor underlines Merkel's special connection to Israel, a country that played a central role for her during her chancellorship. She once summarized this with the telling statement that Israel's security is German raison d'être, which, however, was contested by Merkzsamt.

A difficult relationship

The relationship between Merkel and Merz is considered complicated. The Courier highlights that Merkel has publicly criticized Merz in the past, for example with regard to a migration resolution by the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag. Nevertheless, she honors Merz's commitment to foreign policy - especially in the first months of his term in office - which shows that despite all the differences, there remains respect.

This is underscored by Merz's own participation in Merkel's 70th birthday last year, where he thanked her for her political life's work. The Union faction, which often benefited from her leadership during her chancellorship, will therefore certainly look back on its own strength in this special moment.

A look at the trip abroad

With her departure to Israel on November 10th, Merkel is once again active in the international political arena. It is currently unclear whether she will also meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This trip could sharpen the view of German-Israeli relations, which have been characterized by Merkel's long-standing political influence.

During her term in office, Merkel helped to build many bridges and strengthen the dialogue between Germany and Israel in many ways. This support is also reflected in the honorary scholarship named after her from the Weizmann Institute for outstanding female scientists, which was announced during her farewell visit as Chancellor in October 2021.

Friedrich Merz will be the first Chancellor since Konrad Adenauer to be over 70 years old. This could usher in a new era of political leadership in Germany, but the challenges remain - especially when we look at diplomatic relations with Israel and the handling of critical issues.

Cultural context