Germany’s chancellor-designate to visit France during first official trip

Germany’s chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz is expected to visit Paris on May 7, just one day after taking office. 

The trip will mark his first foreign engagement and signals an early commitment to revitalizing ties with France and strengthening European cooperation, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

In an interview, Merz confirmed plans for prompt discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. “I will ... immediately travel to Paris and very quickly travel to Warsaw,” he stated. The announcement comes after coalition talks between Merz’s CDU conservatives and the Social Democratic Party concluded last week.

The date was chosen deliberately. Both leaders will be engaged on May 8 in commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, making May 7 the optimal window for bilateral talks. French officials view Merz’s early outreach as a chance to reset Franco-German relations, which suffered under outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz amid disputes over Ukraine, energy strategy, and trade. 

According to a senior ally of Macron, the two leaders are already “working hard” and could see early breakthroughs on European defence, trade coordination, and relations with US President Donald Trump. Merz’s itinerary may also include a visit to Kyiv on May 9, following an invitation by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to EU heads of state. Two EU diplomats said talks are underway to arrange the potential trip, underscoring Merz’s intent to align closely with Ukraine amid ongoing conflict with Russia.

By Naila Huseynova