Merkel won't attend the funeral of former Bundestag chairman Wolfgang Schäuble

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel will attend a state ceremony in Berlin on 22 January 2024, but will not attend the memorial service for former Bundestag Speaker and Federal Minister Wolfgang Schäuble in Offenburg.

This was reported by UNN with reference to Bild and Spiegel.

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On Friday, former Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble, who died at the age of 81 on December 26 last year, will be buried in Offenburg. In addition, the farewell to the deceased CDU politician and former Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble will be held on January 22 in Berlin. This was announced on Wednesday by the Bundestag.

According to media reports, Wolfgang Schäuble's longtime political ally Angela Merkel (both CDU) will not attend the funeral in Offenburg, but will take part in the state ceremony in Berlin.

Former Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel will attend the state ceremony in Berlin on January 22, 2024, but not the funeral in Offenburg

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Wolfgang Schäuble has been one of the defining figures in federal politics for decades. He has served several times as a minister, CDU leader, chairman of the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag, and president of the parliament. He was elected to the Bundestag with a direct mandate in all federal elections since 1972, making him the longest-serving member of parliament at the time of his death.

Although Merkel and Schäuble had close political ties, there were differences of opinion between them.

Merkel honored the late Schäuble as her "political teacher. However, the longtime CDU chairwoman and Schäuble, despite close political ties, were not considered personal friends

Recall

The former head of the Bundestag Wolfgang Schäuble has died at the age of 81. The politician is known for playing an important role in the reunification of West and East Germany in 1990 as head of the German Ministry of the Interior.

Former President of the European Commission Jacques Delors, who is called the architect of the modern EU, has died at the age of 98.

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