German Chancellor Friedrich Merz repeatedly contacted officials in Lisbon to support Lufthansa Group’s successful bid for a minority stake in TAP Air Portugal, according to Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr. Portugal selected Lufthansa over Air France-KLM in October for a 44.9% holding in the flag carrier, in a contest backed by both governments and involving high-level political advocacy.
Spohr described Merz’s intervention as material to Lufthansa’s efforts to compete with the French group. The chancellor had already publicly supported the German bid during a May meeting with Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. Details of the calls, including their number, timing and recipients, have not been disclosed.
Lufthansa offered €1.025 billion for the initial stake, with the potential to acquire up to 49.9% for approximately €1.2 billion if employee-held shares are included. Portugal is expected to retain 50.1% of TAP. The transaction would give Lufthansa stronger access to Lisbon as a hub for services to Brazil, Africa and North America.
The proposed investment includes plans to expand TAP’s fleet to 117 aircraft by 2035 and invest €500 million in Portugal. The deal still requires final contractual negotiations, Portuguese approval and European Commission clearance, with completion potentially taking place in 2028.