Friedrich Merz emerged as the Union's chancellor candidate, with Markus Söder stepping aside. The announcement came in the morning, followed by a joint press conference where Söder pledged support. This development dominated the day's news cycle, with analysts discussing its implications for the upcoming election. In international news, reports surfaced of a mysterious incident in Lebanon, where hundreds of pagers exploded, causing injuries and deaths among Hezbollah members. The story evolved throughout the day, with casualty numbers rising. In economic news, concerns grew over the Intel chip factory project in Magdeburg, potentially impacting the government's industrial strategy. The evening saw Champions League matches, with German teams in action.