Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Merz, CSU leader Soeder, SPD co-leaders Esken and

Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting and leader of the Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) Friedrich Merz speaks with Bavarian state premier and leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU) Markus Soeder as they give a statement with co-leaders of the Social Democratic party (SPD) Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil, after exploratory talks in Berlin, Germany March 8, 2025. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse