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Charlotte Merz shines at the G7 summit: the focus is on the First Lady!
Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his wife Charlotte attend the G7 summit in Canada as geopolitical tensions rise.
Charlotte Merz shines at the G7 summit: the focus is on the First Lady!
The Chancellor's wife, Charlotte Merz, is in the spotlight at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada. On June 16, 2025, she accompanied her husband, Friedrich Merz, to this important international meeting. The flight from Berlin to Calgary took an impressive nine hours, followed by a 40-minute helicopter ride to Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. Charlotte Merz, studied law and director of the Arnsberg District Court, has been married to Friedrich Merz since 1981 and has announced that she will continue to practice her profession during his chancellorship. However, she sees it as a matter of honor to accompany him to this summit, which underlines her role as First Lady.
Particularly noteworthy: Charlotte Merz is one of the few women present among the partners of the heads of state and government. While Brigitte Macron and Melania Trump are not represented, Yoshiko Ishiba, the wife of the Japanese Prime Minister, and Heiko von der Leyen, Ursula von der Leyen's husband, are taking part in the partner program. On the first evening there was a dinner hosted by Diana Fox Carney, which aligned with the summit agenda.
Political issues in focus
Before departing for the summit, Friedrich Merz expressed concerns about the threat from Iran, particularly in the context of the attacks on Israel. Merz demanded that Iran immediately stop its attacks on civilian targets in Israel and made it clear that Germany will not accept that Iran is developing or possessing nuclear weapons. This attitude represents a clear threat to Israel, the entire Middle East and the international community. “Israel has the right to defend its existence and the security of its citizens,” emphasized Merz, who, together with Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, is in contact with colleagues in the region.
Current developments speak for themselves: According to reports, there have been violations in recent days that have claimed numerous victims - including at least 138 dead in Iran and 13 dead in Israel. As the Israeli army intensively attacks targets in Iran, Tehran warns of “more decisive and tougher” reactions to the attacks. This tense situation is also on the agenda of the G7 summit, where possible sanctions against Russia and US tariffs on imported goods will also be discussed.
Women's rights in focus
In all of these political issues, another important aspect comes to the fore: gender equality. Women7 (W7) is an international network of women's rights organizations that has been advocating for gender equality at the G7 meetings since 2018. Their goals are ambitious: equality as a necessary starting point for all negotiations between the G7 countries. The W7 summit will take place in Rome in May 2024, and the current situation with regard to equality will be specifically addressed by the participants here in order to prevent regression in equality.
The G7 countries, including Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Canada and the USA, enjoy the opportunity to focus on issues such as equality annually through their rotating presidency. Even if the G7 final document of 2024 only deals with gender equality policy aspects in a secondary manner, the commitment to women's rights remains a central concern that is increasingly of global interest.
The G7 summit in Kananaskis not only highlights the challenges of international politics, but also the need to strengthen women's rights worldwide in order to promote a fairer and more peaceful society.