{"id":76045,"date":"2024-04-30T11:17:06","date_gmt":"2024-04-30T09:17:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/?post_type=magazin&p=76045"},"modified":"2026-09-27T15:57:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T13:57:36","slug":"friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery","status":"publish","type":"magazin","link":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/","title":{"rendered":"Friedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n
\n\tPower and control<\/a><\/div>\r\n

\r\n Friedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery <\/h2>\r\n\r\n
\r\n

The CDU leader presents himself as a man of the people \u2013 despite a multimillion past in the world of finance. Why do so many listen to him?
\nBy Finn Winkler<\/a> (text), Martin Steger<\/a> (photos)<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n

\r\n \r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n \r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n \r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n \"The\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\n\n\n

It is a sunny morning in early September, <\/strong>shortly before the 2023 Bavarian state election. Friedrich Merz steps onto the stage in the packed beer tent in Abensberg. The air is hot and a little stuffy, the mood exuberant. Merz wears a simple grey traditional jacket, perhaps to win over the residents of the small Lower Bavarian town. Numerous top politicians gather at the \u2018political Gillamoos\u2019.

Friedrich Merz uses the opportunity to take a clear stance. \u2018Kreuzberg is not Germany,\u2019 he proclaims into the microphone. \u2018Gillamoos is Germany!\u2019 These words spark debate across the country. His speech makes the evening news, and his face adorns the front pages the next day.

The speech on the Gillamoos meadow shows how Merz tries to emphasise certain cultural and social themes. While he takes up popular opinions, he also draws criticism for his often polarising positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On that sunny morning in the beer tent, Merz stresses that Gillamoos represents the \u2018real\u2019 Germany. A quick online search, however, shows that Kreuzberg is also an integral part of Germany \u2013 and that far more people live there than in Abensberg. When Friedrich Merz isn\u2019t talking about urban Germany, he often focuses on the integration problems of young people with a migrant background and talks about \u2018little pashas\u2019. He also occasionally comments on topics such as dental care for asylum seekers and alleged welfare tourism, which regularly causes public outrage.<\/p>\n\n\n \n\n

\n\n \n\n
\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n Abensberg; 04.09.2023; Politischer GillaMoos in Abensberg; Freidrich Merz & Markus S\u00f6der, Landtagswahl Bayern; \u00a9 Martin Steger<\/span>\n \n

Friedrich Merz sits<\/strong> with the Bavarian minister-president Markus S\u00f6der in a beer tent.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n Abensberg; 04.09.2023; Politischer GillaMoos in Abensberg; Freidrich Merz & Markus S\u00f6der, Landtagswahl Bayern; \u00a9 Martin Steger<\/span>\n \n

Politischer GillaMoos in Abensberg; Freidrich Merz &amp; Markus S\u00f6der, Landtagswahl Bayern;<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n \n
\n
\n
\n

When Friedrich Merz<\/strong> isn\u2019t talking about urban Germany, he often focuses on the integration problems of young people with a migrant background.<\/p>\n <\/blockquote>\n\n

\n\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n
\n \"\"\n \n Stadthalle Kelkheim, Kelkheim (Taunus): 06.10.2023<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n

Final campaign rally<\/strong> in Hesse with the former Hessian minister-president Roland Koch<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"\n \n Messe Riem, Munich: 23.09.2023<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n

With the Bundestag member Dorothee B\u00e4r <\/strong>at the CSU party conference in Munich<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n \n\n

\n\n \n\n
\n\n
\n\n \"The\n\n Burg Seevetal, Seevetal: 04.10.2022<\/span>\n \n

At the end<\/strong> of a campaign speech, with a gift<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n Hameln: 08.10.2022<\/span>\n \n

With leading Lower Saxony candidates<\/strong> in a caf\u00e9<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n VEC-Halle, Vechta: 05.10.2022<\/span>\n \n

On stage<\/strong> with Bernd Althusmann<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n<\/div>\n\n

\n\n
\n \"The\n \n Rotenburg (W\u00fcmme) \u201eHotel Heidej\u00e4ger\u201c; 04.10.2022; Wahlkampfveranstaltung Wahlkampf Niedersachsen; \u00a9 Martin Steger<\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n

ahlkampfveranstaltung Wahlkampf Niedersachsen; \u00a9 Martin Steger<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n \n\n

\n\n \n\n
\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n Berlin: 10.02.2022<\/span>\n \n

CDU team flyers <\/strong>at the final rally of the Berlin state election campaign<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n Hannover; 28.06.2023; Deutscher Sparkassentag, Friedrich Merz & Moderator Claus Kleber, \u00a9 Martin Steger<\/span>\n \n

Deutscher Sparkassentag, Friedrich Merz &amp; Moderator Claus Kleber<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n Blumenhalle Wiesmoor: 05.10.2022<\/span>\n \n

During a video call<\/strong> with his press team<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Gillamoos speech illustrates Friedrich Merz\u2019s desire to appear close to ordinary people.<\/strong> When he says that Gillamoos is Germany and Kreuzberg is not, he fuels the feeling that politics in this country is made primarily for a privileged elite in the city centres. After the Gillamoos speech, DER SPIEGEL speculated<\/a> that Merz might be trying to create a certain illusion: the illusion that the former BlackRock executive and multimillionaire Merz is close to ordinary people; the illusion that Merz is on the side of whichever beer-tent crowd he happens to be addressing.

But Friedrich Merz also has another side, away from the beer tent. For years he worked for BlackRock, the world\u2019s largest asset manager. Merz himself once said in an interview with Anne Will<\/a> that he had very much enjoyed working for BlackRock. It had been the first company, he said, for which ecological, social and societal issues played a role in the capital markets.

Some observers take an extremely critical view of the asset manager. As the Tagesspiegel reported in 2018, at the time of Merz\u2019s political comeback:<\/a> \u2018Critics accuse BlackRock of torpedoing competition, deliberately privatising pensions to its own advantage, working very closely with authorities and thereby also influencing the regulation of the financial sector.\u2019 BlackRock\u2019s approach to its environmental responsibility has also been criticised. The political TV magazine \u2018Monitor\u2019<\/a> reported that in twelve of the most climate-damaging major projects worldwide, BlackRock had been the largest investor in the companies involved.

Until 2021, Merz also worked as senior counsel in the D\u00fcsseldorf office of the law firm Mayer Brown. ZEIT ONLINE noted in 2018<\/a> that this law firm was profiting in its own way from the cum-ex tax theft: the firm wanted to help its clients counter the growing legal risk from cum-ex transactions. In the cum-ex deals, a number of banks had enriched themselves on a large scale at the public\u2019s expense. The main beneficiaries were an elite far more privileged than the population of Kreuzberg.

Friedrich Merz\u2019s polarising statements and his play on cultural contrasts symbolise the divisions within German society. His ability to shape the political agenda and spark debate means that he plays a central role in Germany\u2019s political discourse \u2013 despite, or precisely because of, the many controversies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n

\n
\n
About the photos in this article<\/h5>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n

Photographer Martin Steger<\/a> has followed the CDU leader for two years. He saw Friedrich Merz at the election campaigns in Hesse, Bavaria, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n \n\n

\n\n \n\n
\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n Beach club on the Aasee, Ibbenb\u00fcren: 06.05.2022<\/span>\n \n

CDU campaigning <\/b>for the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n Frankfurt a.M.; 09.09.2023; AUFTAKT IN DIE HESSENWAHL, Friedrich Merz nach Rede; \u00a9 Martin Steger<\/span>\n \n

AUFTAKT IN DIE HESSENWAHL, Friedrich Merz nach Rede;<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n \n\n

\n\n
\n\n \"\"\n\n Beach-Club am Aasee; 06.05.2022; Wahlkampf: Friedrich Merz Landtagswahl Nordrhein-Westfalen, Gruppenfoto; \u00a9 Martin Steger<\/span>\n \n

Wahlkampf: Friedrich Merz Landtagswahl Nordrhein-Westfalen, Gruppenfoto; \u00a9 Martin Steger<\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div> \n\n\n \n\n \n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n\n\n \n\n
\n

Recommended by the editors:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n Collecting<\/span>\r\n

\r\n The world’s largest Playmobil collection: 400,000 figures <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n

It all began in a child’s bedroom \u2013 today Oliver Schaffer owns the world’s largest Playmobil collection, with more than 400,000 figures. A visit to his high-bay warehouse.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n Masculinity<\/span>\r\n

\r\n \u2018Being gay is not a choice\u2019 <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n

Dirk and Thomas came out to their families only recently. Today they live together as a couple. In an interview with our author, they talk about their path to an open life.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n Masculinity<\/span>\r\n

\r\n \u2018I was a Hitler caricature from a bad Hollywood film\u2019 <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n

He used to march through the streets in a leather coat, carrying the Reich war flag, giving hate speeches and dreaming of the great revolution. Today Axel Reitz works in extremism prevention.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\n\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n Award-winning<\/span>\r\n

\r\n Youth in Lockdown. <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n

In the project “Between the Years”, student Valentin Goppel deals with the effects of the pandemic on his generation.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"\"\r\n\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n At night<\/span>\r\n

\r\n Narcolepsy: when sleep becomes an illness <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n

Sudden attacks, hallucinations, leaden tiredness: student Livia Sommer looks for answers in a sleep lab.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"Sommer\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\n Guides<\/span>\r\n

\r\n Overcoming creative block: why it happens and how to get back into the flow. <\/h3>\r\n\r\n
\r\n

Creative block is frustrating \u2013 but it doesn\u2019t have to last. Find out why it happens, what it is trying to tell you and how to overcome it step by step and get back into the flow.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n

\r\n \"Glittering\r\n <\/figure>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/a>\r\n\r\n <\/article>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n\n\n\n
\n TO THE MAGAZINE HOMEPAGE<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":32841,"template":"","tags":[331,369,343],"magazinkategorie":[418],"class_list":["post-76045","magazin","type-magazin","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-photo-series-en","tag-politik-gesellschaft-en","tag-video-en","magazinkategorie-power-and-control"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFriedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The CDU leader presents himself as a man of the people \u2013 despite a multimillion past in the world of finance. Why do so many listen to him?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Friedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The CDU leader presents himself as a man of the people \u2013 despite a multimillion past in the world of finance. Why do so many listen to him?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/wwwfotostudentende\/100065173703897\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-27T13:57:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0112-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@HsHannover\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/magazine\\\/power-and-control\\\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/magazine\\\/power-and-control\\\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\\\/\",\"name\":\"Friedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/magazine\\\/power-and-control\\\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/magazine\\\/power-and-control\\\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/DSC0112-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-04-30T09:17:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-27T13:57:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"The CDU leader presents himself as a man of the people \u2013 despite a multimillion past in the world of finance. Why do so many listen to him?\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/magazine\\\/power-and-control\\\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/magazine\\\/power-and-control\\\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/magazine\\\/power-and-control\\\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/DSC0112-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/DSC0112-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":2560,\"caption\":\"Messe Riem, Munich: 23.09.2023\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/magazine\\\/power-and-control\\\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Magazin\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/magazine\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Friedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography\",\"description\":\"All about the bilingual bachelor's program at Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"visualjournalism.de\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Hochschule Hannover \u2013 University of Applied Sciences and Arts\",\"alternateName\":\"HsH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/logo-hochschule-hannover.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/logo-hochschule-hannover.png\",\"width\":363,\"height\":270,\"caption\":\"Hochschule Hannover \u2013 University of Applied Sciences and Arts\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/people\\\/wwwfotostudentende\\\/100065173703897\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/HsHannover\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/visualjournalism.de\\\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Friedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery","description":"The CDU leader presents himself as a man of the people \u2013 despite a multimillion past in the world of finance. Why do so many listen to him?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Friedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery","og_description":"The CDU leader presents himself as a man of the people \u2013 despite a multimillion past in the world of finance. Why do so many listen to him?","og_url":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/","og_site_name":"Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/wwwfotostudentende\/100065173703897\/","article_modified_time":"2026-09-27T13:57:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":2560,"url":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0112-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@HsHannover","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/","url":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/","name":"Friedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0112-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2024-04-30T09:17:06+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-27T13:57:36+00:00","description":"The CDU leader presents himself as a man of the people \u2013 despite a multimillion past in the world of finance. Why do so many listen to him?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0112-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSC0112-scaled.jpg","width":1920,"height":2560,"caption":"Messe Riem, Munich: 23.09.2023"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/power-and-control\/friedrich-merz-between-blackrock-and-the-chancellery\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Magazin","item":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/magazine\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Friedrich Merz: between BlackRock and the Chancellery"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/","name":"Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography","description":"All about the bilingual bachelor's program at Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/#organization"},"alternateName":"visualjournalism.de","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/#organization","name":"Hochschule Hannover \u2013 University of Applied Sciences and Arts","alternateName":"HsH","url":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-hochschule-hannover.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/logo-hochschule-hannover.png","width":363,"height":270,"caption":"Hochschule Hannover \u2013 University of Applied Sciences and Arts"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/wwwfotostudentende\/100065173703897\/","https:\/\/x.com\/HsHannover","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/visualjournalism.de\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazin\/76045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazin"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/magazin"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazin\/76045\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76176,"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazin\/76045\/revisions\/76176"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76045"},{"taxonomy":"magazinkategorie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualjournalism.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/magazinkategorie?post=76045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}