Overview
- Friedrich Merz turns 70 on 11 November, making him the first German chancellor over 70 since Konrad Adenauer.
- The CDU/CSU parliamentary group plans a formal reception in the Reichstag’s Protokollsaal to mark the occasion.
- Invitees include Union MPs, state premiers, former faction chairs — including Merkel — and members of the Merz family.
- Merkel received an invitation but will be in Israel on 10 November to receive an honorary doctorate from the Weizmann Institute.
- The relationship between Merkel and Merz has been strained, with recent public disagreements over migration policy noted by both sides.