Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to send a handwritten congratulation to her successor Friedrich Merz on his 70th birthday. She will not attend the CDU/CSU parliamentary group's celebration due to an upcoming trip abroad. Merz will thus become the first chancellor since Konrad Adenauer to turn 70.
Friedrich Merz, the current German Chancellor and CDU leader, celebrates his 70th birthday on November 11. The Union parliamentary group is hosting a reception in the Reichstag building's Protokollsaal in Berlin for the occasion. Angela Merkel, who was succeeded by Merz as chancellor, received an invitation but cannot attend. A spokeswoman told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers: Merkel will congratulate Merz «handschriftlich» (by handwritten note), rather than by SMS, with flowers, or a gift.
The reason for Merkel's absence is a trip to Israel on November 10, where she will receive an honorary doctorate from the Weizmann Institute for Sciences. The physicist has a special connection to the institution: During her farewell visit as chancellor in October 2021, an honorary fellowship in her name was announced for outstanding female scientists.
The relationship between Merkel and Merz is considered difficult. She has publicly criticized him as opposition leader and later as chancellor, for instance calling the CDU/CSU parliamentary group's migration resolution in the Bundestag, passed with AfD votes, «wrong.» At Merkel's own 70th birthday celebration a year ago at the Berlin Academy of Sciences, Merz was present. He praised her «political life's work» and wished: «That you remain favorable to the CDU.»
Most recently, Merkel expressed praise for Merz's foreign policy in the «Spiegel» talk show «Spitzengespräch»: «As a citizen, I think what Friedrich Merz has done so far is good. It's relieving, honestly, that Germany is appearing again with charm and voice in Europe and the world.»