Friedrich Merz has officially been confirmed as Germany’s new chancellor after winning a second-round parliamentary vote, following an unprecedented failure to secure a majority in the initial ballot earlier in the day.
The 69-year-old leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was elected by the Bundestag after receiving 325 votes in the second round—narrowly clinching the position despite his coalition holding 328 seats. His confirmation came just hours after a stunning blow in the morning vote, where he fell six votes short of the required absolute majority.
No candidate for chancellor in postwar German history has previously failed on a first-round vote, marking the episode as a damaging moment for Merz and his fragile coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD). The coalition, formed after a narrow election victory in February, holds one of the slimmest majorities since World War II, commanding just 52% of the seats.
“Madam Speaker, thank you for the trust,” a visibly relieved Merz told Bundestag president Julia Klöckner after the result was announced. “I accept the election.”
The failed first round sparked swift behind-the-scenes negotiations and an accelerated second vote, bypassing usual procedural delays with support from parliamentary factions including the Greens and the Left. CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn remarked before the vote that “the whole of Europe, perhaps even the world, is watching.”
Merz, a fiscal conservative and seasoned political figure, faces major challenges as he steps into office. His agenda includes managing Germany’s faltering economy, strengthening European defense amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, and addressing rising domestic tensions fueled by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), now the largest opposition party in the Bundestag.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel seized on Merz’s first-round loss to call for his immediate resignation and new elections. “Merz failed to secure a majority because he had to abandon large parts of his own campaign platform in order to buy the SPD’s support,” said AfD spokesperson Torben Braga. The AfD, classified as a “right-wing extremist effort” by German intelligence last week, remains excluded from coalition talks by a longstanding political firewall.
The new chancellor is expected to travel to Paris and Warsaw on Wednesday for discussions on European defense strategy, followed by commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. A meeting with NATO and EU leaders in Brussels is scheduled for Friday.
Germany, now the fourth-largest defense spender globally thanks to a €100 billion investment passed in 2022, is navigating both external threats and internal political instability. Merz’s government has also pledged to modernize the country’s infrastructure and stimulate economic growth as part of its broader reform package.
