Friedrich Merz is set to become Germany's next chancellor. Friedrich Merz, chairman of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, is set to become Germany's next chancellor based and will likely be sworn in in early May.

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz is on course to become post-World War II Germany's 10th chancellor after finalizing a deal Wednesday to form a new government.Merz, 69, who will succeed outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz,

The agreement was concluded relatively quickly but still took about six and half weeks, during which the country had been virtually rudderless at a critical moment for Europe.