The Munich Auto Show in Germany kicked off on September 8. In a bid to show support for the domestic automotive sector, German Chancellor Merz made a personal visit to the auto show on September 9. During his visit, he strolled through the exhibition booths of several German automotive firms. At the Mercedes - Benz booth, things took an unexpected turn. As Ola Källenius, the Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes - Benz Group AG, was giving a demonstration of a new car to Chancellor Merz, a malfunction cropped up. The front trunk lid simply wouldn't open, creating a rather awkward on - site atmosphere. In English - speaking cultures, such unexpected technical hiccups during high - profile demonstrations can often lead to moments of tension and embarrassment, much like what happened here.