According to Julia Becker, a publisher for Funke, current CDU leader Friedrich Merz has previously complained about a photograph of himself that showed him chopping a Christmas tree in the Sauerland region. Becker discussed this exchange in a podcast hosted by Paul Ronzheimer, the deputy head of “Bild,” which was published on Wednesday. She admitted that initially she felt she was not the appropriate person to handle his complaint.
While she did not confirm whether Merz contacted her personally about the photo, or if someone from his inner circle did, she did not deny the possibility of a direct contact upon further questioning.
Becker stated that she was accused of portraying Merz in an intentionally unsympathetic manner for strategic reasons. She was informed that the photo of him was “fundamentally bad,” and she was told, “I already know why you are doing it.”
The image in question reportedly appeared in the “Westfalenpost”, a newspaper belonging to the Funke Group. The publisher noted her opinion that Merz looks like a “wonderful figure” in the photo. Becker further remarked, “I can’t be blamed if Mr. Merz looked strained for his feeling while chopping the Christmas tree.” Regarding photo complaints, she generally directs such issues to the relevant editorial department, adding, “I am not the right point of contact for photos that don’t evoke enthusiasm.”
