Merkel conducts last business visit before end of 16-year tenure

Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday visited medium-sized drug manufacturer Medice in Iserlohn, the last such visit before the end of her 16-year tenure, reported dpa.

Germany is holding general elections on September 26 and Merkel is not standing for a fifth term.

The outgoing chancellor spoke in favour of entrepreneurial versatility. She said that large and medium-sized health-care companies are subject to major changes, which the family-run company in Iserlohn is helping to shape.

Instead of simply relying on the production of pharmaceuticals, they are increasingly taking a holistic approach to health that is environmentally friendly at the same time. Sustainability and digitization are also important issues to be pursued, she said.

Merkel was travelling with CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak, in whose constituency Medice is located.

The manufacturer of drugs, including for nephrology and the central nervous system, produces almost exclusively in Iserlohn and has reported strong growth in recent years.