Angela Merkel to host new radio series with German students

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel will launch a new four-part radio series titled ‘Merkel unplugged’ on Deutschlandfunk Kultur. The project features direct discussions between Merkel and school classes from across Germany at the Berlin Funkhaus.

Each 90-minute session will be moderated by Korbinian Frenzel. To encourage an open exchange, the format is split: 60 minutes will be broadcast on air, while the remaining 30 minutes will be held in a confidential, unrecorded setting. The initiative aims to facilitate a dialogue on equal footing, allowing the younger generation to discuss complex issues away from the typical pressures of daily political discourse.

Interest in the program has been high, with over 70 school classes applying since the start of the school year. The first episode is scheduled to air on October 14, featuring students from various schools, including the Bertha-von-Suttner-Gymnasium in Potsdam and the Friedensschule in Lingen.