{
  "id": 12057050,
  "title": "Chancellor back at school: Why the Chancellor's high school diploma is under lock and key",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/kanzler-zuruck-in-der-schule-warum-das-abi-zeugnis-des-kanzlers-unter",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-05T02:30:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/kanzler-zurueck-in-der-schule-warum-das-abi-zeugnis-des-kanzlers-unter-verschluss-ist/100259642.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "German Chancellor has jokingly revealed that his high school diploma grade was around 3.8, one of the lowest possible without failing. He made the comment in a podcast, saying he had \"no motivation\" for school and was demotivated by his peer group. Chancellor attended the Friedrich-Spee-Gymnasium in Rüthen, where he had struggled with discipline and motivation, before eventually obtaining his diploma. He has since become an advocate for education, founding the Friedrich and Charlotte Merz Foundation in 2005 to support young people from low-income families. As Chancellor, he has emphasized the importance of education and plans to engage more in education policy.",
  "summary": "The Chancellor is returning to the high school today where he graduated 51 years ago. Will he reveal his grade to the students? So far, he has only hinted at it. And for good reason.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}