Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting and leader of the Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) Friedrich Merz, Member of Christian Democratic Party (CDU) party Thorsten Frei and Group chairman of the Christian Social Union party (CSU) Alexander Dobrindt applaud on the day of an extraordinary meeting of the German Bundestag, to discuss a €500-billion infrastructure fund and a revamp of borrowing rules aimed at modernizing the military and stimulating economic growth ahead of the formation of a new parliament at end of March, in Berlin, Germany, March 13, 2025. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner