Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Party Chairman Friedrich Merz, former German Agriculture Minister and CDU's board member Julia Klockner, and board member Silvia Breher stand by CDU's top candidate and State Premier for the North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) Hendrik Wuest as he receives flowers during a board meeting at the party headquarters, following the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, in Berlin, Germany May 16, 2022. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi