Merkel

Also watching on from the Reichstag's visitors' gallery was Merz's old political rival from within the CDU, former chancellor Angela Merkel.

His rival and former chancellor Angela Merkel had come to the Bundestag to watch the vote take place.

Whilst countries like Poland and the Baltic States cautioned against getting too close to Moscow – and increased their own defence spending – Berlin under former Chancellor Angela Merkel believed in doing business.

Germany's last government collapsed late in 2024 because of disagreements over loosening debt restrictions brought in by Chancellor Angela Merkel's government during the financial crisis in 2009.

The assessment was commissioned by the office of Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor at the time, but was never publicly known of until now.