Germany's Merz Says Government Not Preventing UniCredit's Push for Commerzbank

MT Newswires · 2d ago
09:23 AM EDT, 07/15/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The German government is not blocking Italian lender UniCredit's (UCG.MI) attempt to take over Commerzbank (CBK.F), Bloomberg News reported Wednesday, citing Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz told reporters that Berlin did not tender its Commerzbank shares in UniCredit's offer, adding that the government did not approve of the way the Italian banking group approached its German peer. UniCredit said earlier this month it secured a further 17.6% stake in Commerzbank at the conclusion of its tender offer, raising its ownership of the German bank to 47.59%. The German government holds a 12% stake in Commerzbank.