Friedrich Merz is on course to become Germany's 10th post-World War II chancellor, the culmination of a long political career that was once sidelined by his party’s iconic leader, Angela Merkel.

Friedrich Merz is set to become Germany's next chancellor. Friedrich Merz, chairman of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, is set to become Germany's next chancellor based and will likely be sworn in in early May.

The agreement was concluded relatively quickly but still took about six and half weeks, during which the country had been virtually rudderless at a critical moment for Europe.