The leadership of Germany’s centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) on Monday unanimously confirmed party leader Friedrich Merz as their candidate for chancellor in next year’s national election. The CDU’s Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), gave its support for Merz’s candidacy last week, but the selection still had to be approved by the governing bodies of both parties. The CDU/CSU aims to oust Germany’s current coalition government, made up of the Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), in the federal election on September 28, 2025. Merz s…