Friedrich Merz

Member of the German Bundestag

Friedrich Merz

Member of the German Bundestag

Friedrich Merz is a German conservative politician who has led the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since January 2022 and has been the Leader of the Opposition in the Bundestag since February 2022. In September 2024, he became the CDU/CSU's candidate for Chancellor ahead of the 2025 federal election, with projections indicating he will assume the role. Born in Brilon, Merz joined the Young Union in 1972 and pursued a legal career before entering politics in 1989 as a European Parliament member, later establishing himself as a financial policy expert in the Bundestag. A former rival of Angela Merkel, he withdrew from politics in 2009, focusing on his legal career, corporate roles, and serving on the board of BlackRock Germany, before returning in 2021. Known for his pro-business, transatlantic, and EU-integrationist views, he advocates economic liberalism, a stronger European military, and NATO cooperation while maintaining a critical stance on Trump-era U.S. policies.

Cocaine or Tissue? Mystery on the Kyiv-Bound Train

  • Wednesday, 14 May 2025

On Friday, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, and UK Labour leader Keir Starmer met aboard a train traveling from Poland to Ukraine, presenting a unified diplomatic front ahead of their scheduled visit to Kyiv on Saturday. Their presence comes amid growing international calls for Russia to agree to a ceasefire and enter negotiations. A video from inside the train has drawn attention online—not for its political symbolism, but due to a moment where a small white object is briefly visible on the table before Macron quickly moves it out of view. Some on social media have speculated that the object resembled a small bag of cocaine, especially as Merz is seen holding a small spoon. However, such speculation is unsupported. The object could plausibly be something mundane, such as a crumpled tissue or a piece of packaging, which in the context of a moving train and under artificial lighting, might easily be misinterpreted. Macron’s quick movement may reflect nothing more than a desire to clear the table during filming. Without concrete evidence, assigning sinister meaning risks distorting the real focus of the meeting: a coordinated effort to support Ukraine and press for peace.

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