Conservative leader Merz to 'lead Germany forward' after election

Friedrich Merz, the favourite to become Germany's next chancellor, said on Monday that he is ready to lead the country as his conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) assembled in Berlin for a party conference weeks ahead of national elections. "We are ready to lead Germany forward again," said Merz, pledging to "get to work without delay and tackle the root causes of the problems that have paralysed [Germany] for so long." Merz said his CDU/CSU alliance, which is leading in the polls on ar