"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised his 'great success' in Berlin - after a huge blackout which plunged homes and businesses into a deep freeze was finally fixed after five days on Thursday. "The federal government reacted relatively quickly after the blackout there, we were asked for support," he said. "We provided this support, including through the Federal Armed Forces, but also through other aid organisations and many other support services." "Excellent work was done here by the aid organisations, the police, and the Federal Armed Forces. The fact that it was possible to reconnect the households in Berlin one day earlier is a great success of this effort," he added. "A joint effort. The governing mayor also expressed this and explicitly thanked me personally for being able to provide this assistance." Bavarian Minister-President Markus Soder - leader of the CSU, Merz's CDU's sister party - used the briefing to blast 'left-wing terrorism'. "Left-wing terrorism is back stronger than we can imagine," he said. "Much more could have happened. Therefore, we need to focus more on the question of what left-wing terrorism is," he added, suggesting he was baffled by claims from left-wing parties that it was nothing to do with them. The blackout was the longest in the city since World War 2, with authorities suspecting arson - and at least 100,000 people affected, as the city also battled with freezing temperatures. The Vulkangruppe - or Volcano Group - initially claimed responsibility, saying it was a protest against fossil fuels. However, another statement from the group's founders distanced itself from that admission."