Berlin, 27 February 2025 (dpa/MIA) - German conservative leader Friedrich Merz, the country's presumptive next chancellor, made a surprise visit to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, days after his CDU/CSU bloc secured victory in national elections.

The visit, reported by Politico and Germany's Bild tabloid, was expected to include discussions on the recent shift in US policy on the war in Ukraine, as well as European defence.

Merz posted a photo of himself and Macron on social media platform X late in the evening, thanking the French leader for his friendship and trust in German-French relations.

"Together our countries can achieve great things for Europe," Merz wrote.

The trip marks Merz's first foreign outing since his centre-right alliance - made up of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) - won Sunday's election with 28.5% of the vote.

Negotiations to form a coalition with outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) are due to begin at a critical time for Europe, with leaders concerned that US President Donald Trump could conclude a peace deal with Russia without European involvement.

Macron visited the White House on Monday, insisting that no deal can be made without Ukraine's assent.

The French president informed EU leaders about his visit in a video call on Wednesday.

Scholz won't bring likely successor to key EU summit

Meanwhile, Merz is not expected to accompany Scholz to a special EU summit in Brussels next month.

Merz does not need a "government internship" or "hand-holding" ahead of taking power in Berlin, Scholz's spokesman said on Wednesday.

Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said Scholz would not take Merz to the meeting on March 6, in which EU leaders are expected to discuss the recent shift in US policy on the war in Ukraine.

"Changes of government are very common in democracies," said Hebestreit, who argued that it would be impractical for all 27 EU leaders due to attend the meeting to bring their successors or opponents.

"Arriving with two or more government leaders would not necessarily speed up the consultations," added Hebestreit.

There had been speculation that Merz would join Scholz for the summit in Brussels, as Scholz accompanied former chancellor Angela Merkel to a Group of 20 summit in Rome in late 2021, shortly after winning the election.

But Hebestreit rejected that comparison, arguing that Scholz had been acting in his former capacity as Merkel's finance minister.

Scholz, who led his SPD to an historic defeat in Sunday's parliamentary vote, is set to remain in office until Merz's centre-right alliance can form a government.

Photo: dpa