Political Rapprochement: Merz and Miersch Grow Closer as CDU and SPD Leaders Adopt Informal Address

There are signs that the black-and-red coalition is growing personally closer. According to the “Rheinische Post”, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the CDU and SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch are now using the informal address (“Du”). An SPD spokesman confirmed that the CDU Chairman offered Miersch this informal greeting during the Union’s internal party celebration in a Berlin beer garden on Tuesday evening. The exchange reportedly took place over an alcohol-free beer, and Miersch was a guest at the event. Merz has also previously adopted this informal address with two other SPD leaders, Bärbel Bas and Lars Klingbeil.