Hackers access German party account, send phishing email to Merz

Hackers have broken into the email account of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) party in the German city of Heilbronn and sent thousands of phishing messages to government departments, other political contacts and even Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

"According to initial findings, the email was sent to around 6,500 contacts, many of whom are in security-related roles," a spokesman for the Heilbronn police told dpa on Saturday.

"We know, for example, that messages also went to the chancellor."

The message - which was also sent to the dpa editorial team - contains an invitation link to an event featuring prominent guests.

The police are currently treating it as a phishing attempt. In such scams, cybercriminals attempt to obtain sensitive data, such as passwords or bank details, by tricking recipients into replying to fake messages.