Power and age: the old 2.0: Merz, the chancellorship and his years of life

When Friedrich Merz started the election campaign in January, his first way to Rhöndorf led him – to the myth of Konrad Adenauer. First Chancellor, CDU icon, Awesome called “the old”. Merz took off the memorial, gave a wide speech – and every observer was clear: a historical arc is to be beaten here. From the “old from Rhöndorf” to … yes, who actually?

Should Friedrich Merz actually be elected Chancellor on May 6th as planned, he would be 69 years old when taking office – and thus the second oldest chancellor since Adenauer. What does that mean for him? And for Germany?

It can be stated that it is clear to the soon -to -be Chancellor that he no longer goes through as a young talent. In May 2024, a episode of the “Hotel Matze” podcast appeared, Merz was a guest. Host Matze Hielscher is considered someone in whom politicians can also present their soft side. So he asked Merz where he saw “the biggest question mark” with himself. And Merz came – surprisingly – to speak of his age.

“I’m not 40 anymore, not 50 anymore,” said Merz. Of course, he already arises as to whether he had grown to the demands of his offices – then party and parliamentary group chair. It was a time when age suddenly became a political category again. A few weeks later, a noticeably gone up Joe Biden in the United States in old age. Of course, Merz did not fail to clarify immediately after his commitment that he considered himself “fully efficient”.

Others of his age would no longer say that so easily. Entertainer Harald Schmidt recently said in a podcast that he could imagine that Merz would find the job quite tough. “I like to penned at noon, even in the morning at 11. If I now imagine I would have to familiarize myself …” He imagines the whole “not unexpected”. And yes, where Schmidt is right, he is right: there is hardly any office with a higher wear factor than that of the Federal Chancellor.

That teaches us the story

In the ARD summer interview, Merz said last year, if he should make himself available as a candidate for chancellor, then he “has to have the good conscience in the process that I can and can hold it physically and mentally, and that should not be for a short time”. When asked, he specified that he then wanted to be available as a chancellor for a “period of six to ten years”.

In fact, this is reminiscent of Konrad Adenauer, who was faced with strong reserved reservations in his own party in 1949. Wasn’t the ex-OB of Cologne too old for a chancellery? This question asked this question in particular who would like to raise the head of the government themselves. The Adenauer, known as “Fuchs”, then said that he spoke to his doctor about it: “He thinks that I could probably lead the office for two or three years.” It was then 14.

Adenauer was still agile in old age, as his grandson of the same name confirmed. “It was still very good,” says Konrad Adenauer (80) of the German Press Agency. “But he was also very disciplined in everything, lived moderately and sometimes took a vacation.”

Willy Brandt, the “German Kennedy”, who posed for photographers in the garden with son Matthias and dog, or on vacation on the Hollywood swing in the garden. In fact, he was not the youngest: that was Angela Merkel, who was only 51 years old at the beginning of her chancellor’s marathon. Helmut Kohl comes behind at the age of 52.

In terms of the genetic equipment, Friedrich Merz should be programmed for longevity: his father is over 100, his mother almost 100 years old. Apart from that, Alter also has something to do with personal attitudes. “There are subgroups in which the physical and cognitive functions remain surprisingly long,” says psychologist Winfried Rief (65) from the University of Marburg. “I have a friend who is 80 years old and that is still deep with me.” At the same time, however, it also applies: “The risk of cognitive dismantling is higher for someone at 69 than with someone with 40. You can’t talk around it.”

It tends to be no longer as fast, including mentally. One tends to be overwhelmed faster by complexity, said. On the other hand, there are also positive effects: “There is experience. This is the so -called age wisdom, which can mean openness and a positive way of dealing with other ideas.”

Psychologically, one also has to see how someone has developed over the years. “Did I remain flexible or have become very determined?” – That is the question. “In the United States, we see something very determined by the president: little tolerance and little acceptance for another way. You would say that this is not good conditions for a management function.”

How Merz behaves – you will only find out in office.

What does it mean politically?

One thing is likely that Friedrich Merz will not be a long -term chancellor à la Konrad Adenauer (14 years), Helmut Kohl or Angela Merkel (both 16 years) in view of his relatively advanced age. “But these long periods of office are hardly to be expected due to the changes in our party system anyway,” analyzes political scientist Jürgen Falter, 81 years old. In his opinion, the system has become significantly more unstable because on the one hand there are more parties in the Bundestag and these parties are also much further apart in their positions than was the case about 15 years ago.

Stefan Marschall, Politology Professor in Düsseldorf, sees it similarly. The next legislative period counts for the voters. And within the party it is even more advantageous if you know that the top position was not occupied for an inevitable time. However, if a chancellor Merz has doubts about his appropriation of office as a result of a breakdown series, this would certainly be associated with his age quickly.

“But apart from that, I don’t see his age as a problem,” says Marschall – especially 40 percent of those entitled to vote are over 60 today. “Overall, we have an aging society, and an older chancellor may also fit.” The fact that Merz is also perceived by many in appearance and habitus as a man of the 90s (“Rambo-Zambo”) does not have to be a disadvantage. “The German political culture generally does not appreciate dazzling figures, but rather credibility and authenticity. It is also possible that you also rely on life experience, especially in times of crisis – you would not be wrong with Merz.”