Julius Möller
Friedrich Merz - Adverse Media Check
Adverse Media Check for Friedrich Merz, running as the Leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since January 2022 and led the CDU/CSU (Union) parliamentary group as well as being Leader of the Opposition in the Bundestag since February 2022. In September 2024, he became the Union’s candidate for Chancellor of Germany ahead of the 2025 federal election.
In this series, we analyze German media (written in German). The risk assessment and reasoning are provided in English.
This Adverse Media Risk Assessment is for Friedrich Merz - Co-chairwoman of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and Chancellor candidate.
Risk Summary
- Friedrich Merz is criticized for using racially and antisemitically charged language, particularly in reference to Berlin-Kreuzberg, which is seen as a code for racism and antisemitism.
- He is accused of exploiting right-wing extremist narratives for political gain, especially in the context of the Hanau attack.
- Merz’s comments are perceived as calculated and part of a broader political strategy, aligning with far-right ideologies and potentially inciting racial and antisemitic sentiments.
- Merz is associated with Blackrock, which is under investigation for involvement in Cum-Ex transactions, a major tax fraud scheme.
- Although Merz has distanced himself from these deals, calling them immoral, his association with Blackrock and other financial institutions involved in Cum-Ex creates potential conflicts of interest.
- His roles at Blackrock, HSBC Trinkaus, and Mayer Brown are scrutinized due to their connections to Cum-Ex activities, which involved exploiting tax loopholes to claim refunds on taxes never paid, considered abusive tax practices.
- The investigation into Cum-Ex is ongoing, with significant financial losses reported across Europe, posing reputational risks for Merz.
Adverse Media Articles
All risky articles that led to the risk assessment:
2024-12-17
