German conservative leader Merz faces minor mishaps after election

Friedrich Merz, the newly elected leader of Germany's conservative CDU/CSU party, experienced a series of minor setbacks during a recent public appearance. The incidents highlighted a somewhat clumsy start to his tenure.

Merz, who recently took the helm of the party, was set to make a statement alongside the newly elected parliamentary group leader, Thorsten Frei. However, the special elevator designed to transport him from the Reichstag building to the Jakob-Kaiser-Haus malfunctioned. This forced Merz to walk the route instead.

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You can't say Friedrich Merz is currently on a roll.

Adding to the awkwardness, upon arriving at the press conference, Merz mistakenly congratulated "dear Carsten" on his election in front of live cameras, rather than the intended recipient. The article suggests Merz is not currently on a winning streak, with these minor fumbles underscoring a less-than-smooth beginning to his leadership.

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Now Merz has to walk, and when he then arrived with the others in front of the blue CDU/CSU wall, he also accidentally congratulated 'dear Carsten' on his election in front of live cameras.