Overview
- At a Bäckerinnungsverband West event in Dortmund, the chancellor accepted the 1.2‑meter, 10‑kilogram “Großen Stutenkerl” honoring contributions to the baking trade.
- He said Germany faces a deep upheaval affecting the labor market, social security systems, and foreign and security policy.
- He urged confidence by invoking the postwar rebuilding ethos and said there is no time for pessimism.
- He highlighted the Ruhr region’s long history of immigration and emphasized the role of Mittelstand, handwerk, and owner‑run firms in the economy.
- Borussia Dortmund president Hans‑Joachim Watzke, delivering the laudation, praised Merz’s ties to the trades and called for greater public understanding of the challenges of governing.