| Friedrich Merz | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Bundestag | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1994 |
|
| Member of the European Parliament | |
| In office 1989 – 1994 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 11, 1955 Brilon, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Nationality | Germany |
| Political party | Christian Democratic Union |
| Alma mater | University of Bonn |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Website | www.friedrich-merz.de |
Friedrich Merz (born 11 November 1955 in Brilon, North Rhine-Westphalia) is a German politician, former chairman of the major centre-right party CDU (Christian Democratic Union) and currently a member of the German parliament, the Bundestag. He is also a partner with Mayer Brown in their Berlin office,[1] having joined the firm's corporate finance team in 2004, after spending several years at Cornelius Bartenbach Haesemann.[2]
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After finishing Abitur in 1975 and serving in the army he began to study law (1976) in Bonn. He became a member of K.D.St.V. Bavaria Bonn, a Catholic student fraternity that is member of the Cartellverband. After finishing law school in 1985 he became a judge in Saarbrücken. In 1986 he quit his position in order to work as an attorney-at-law.
Merz is a member of the CDU. From 1998-2000 he was a member of the federal administration. From 2002-2004, he was a member of the executive board of the CDU.
From 1989 till 1994 he was Member of the European Parliament and since 1994 he is member of the Bundestag for his constituency, the Hochsauerland. In October 1998 he became vice-chairman and in February 2000 Chairman of the CDU/CSU-parliamentary party. After the general election in 2002 Angela Merkel was elected in his stead and so he was again vice-chairman till 2004.
Friedrich Merz is married to the judge Charlotte Merz. He has three children and lives in Arnsberg-Niedereimer in Sauerland.