Germany Politics

Friedrich Merz, center, leader of the German Christain Democrats (CDU), gestures as he is surrounded by, front row from left, Nina Warken, designated Federal Minister for Health, Johann Wadephul, designated Foreign Minister, Christiane Schenderlein, designated Minister of State for Sport and Volunteering, Thorsten Frei, designated Federal Minister for Special Tasks and Head of the Federal Chancellery, Katherina Reiche, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Karsten Wildberger, designated Federal Minister for Digitization and State Modernization, rear row from left, Michael Meister, designated Minister of State for Federal-State Cooperation, Wolfram Weimer, designated Minister of State for Culture and Media, Karin Prien, designated Federal Minister for Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Patrick Schnieder, Federal Minister for Transport and Serap Güler, designated Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a meeting of a CDU Federal Committee in Berlin, Germany, Monday, April 28, 2025. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)