Friedrich Merz has been confirmed as Germany's new chancellor after a successful second voting round in the Bundestag, which followed an unexpected loss in the first round earlier in the day. Merz secured 325 votes, surpassing the 316 required for a majority.
In the first round of voting, Merz received 310 votes, which was six votes short of the majority needed. This marked the first instance in the history of the federal republic where an incoming chancellor failed to secure a majority in the first ballot after winning an election and securing a coalition agreement. The initial setback was a personal disappointment for Merz, who had anticipated an easy majority in parliament, given that his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD), hold a combined total of 328 seats in the Bundestag.
The initial parliamentary session was characterized by chaos, and while there were no limits on the number of votes that could take place, a failure in the second round would have signified significant political failure for Merz, who has vowed to navigate Germany out of a prolonged political gridlock lasting six months. The identities of dissenters in the secret ballot remain unclear; however, it appears that some opposition originated from within the CDU or SPD. Although 84% of the SPD base agreed to the coalition, there were indications of dissatisfaction among some SPD members.
Following Merz's first vote failure, opposition parties, including the Alternative for Germany (AfD), called for his resignation and demanded new elections. Despite this, they ultimately supported the decision for a second round of voting later that day. CDU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn emphasized the significance of the vote, stating, "All of Europe, perhaps the entire world” is watching, urging lawmakers to support the coalition's mandate to prevent further political stagnation.
World leaders have promptly congratulated Merz, who is scheduled to meet with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Bellevue Palace and will take an oath of office alongside his new cabinet. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described him as a "proven friend and expert on Europe," while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hopes for increased German leadership in European and transatlantic affairs.
Merz's appointment makes him Germany's 10th chancellor since the 1947 constitution expanded the role's powers beyond that of the president, and the fifth since German reunification in 1990. His government will take charge following months of political paralysis, stemming from the collapse of the previous coalition amidst infighting. Merz is set to address an economy that has contracted for the past two years and is projected to experience zero growth this year. Additionally, his coalition will need to contend with the rising influence of the AfD, which is now the second-largest group in parliament and was recently classified as a "far right extremist organization" by domestic intelligence, a designation the party has legally challenged.
