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| Friedrich Merz suffers shock defeat in German parliament vote for chancellor | Friedrich Merz suffers shock defeat in German parliament vote for chancellor |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Man expected to lead country is first postwar candidate to lose first voting round, described as ‘complete catastrophe’ | Man expected to lead country is first postwar candidate to lose first voting round, described as ‘complete catastrophe’ |
| Germany’s presumed next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has suffered a humiliating setback on his path to power by failing to secure the necessary majority in the Bundestag lower house of parliament to be elected. | Germany’s presumed next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has suffered a humiliating setback on his path to power by failing to secure the necessary majority in the Bundestag lower house of parliament to be elected. |
| The ballot on Tuesday was the first time in Germany’s postwar history that a candidate has lost the first round of voting in a country that prides itself on predictability and stability. | The ballot on Tuesday was the first time in Germany’s postwar history that a candidate has lost the first round of voting in a country that prides itself on predictability and stability. |
| A second round of voting is to be held on Tuesday afternoon and Merz is to stand again. But even success in a re-run would leave Merz and his fledgling government severely weakened. | A second round of voting is to be held on Tuesday afternoon and Merz is to stand again. But even success in a re-run would leave Merz and his fledgling government severely weakened. |
| Commentators called the shock outcome, in which Merz garnered 310 votes, short of the required 316, a “complete catastrophe” for the conservative politician and “a punch to the stomach”. The 69-year-old leads the centre-right CDU/CSU bloc, which won February’s snap election with a disappointing 28.6%. | Commentators called the shock outcome, in which Merz garnered 310 votes, short of the required 316, a “complete catastrophe” for the conservative politician and “a punch to the stomach”. The 69-year-old leads the centre-right CDU/CSU bloc, which won February’s snap election with a disappointing 28.6%. |
| Immediately after the lost vote, a stony-faced Merz retreated with his parliamentary group to consult on the path ahead. | Immediately after the lost vote, a stony-faced Merz retreated with his parliamentary group to consult on the path ahead. |
| It was not immediately clear from the secret ballot whether it had been rebels among his own conservatives or from the junior coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD), who had withheld their expected support. | It was not immediately clear from the secret ballot whether it had been rebels among his own conservatives or from the junior coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD), who had withheld their expected support. |
| The Social Democratic co-leader Lars Klingbeil, who has been designated to become Merz’s vice-chancellor and finance minister, reportedly told his MPs that he had “not the slightest indication that the SPD was not completely behind” Merz. “We can be counted on,” he insisted. | The Social Democratic co-leader Lars Klingbeil, who has been designated to become Merz’s vice-chancellor and finance minister, reportedly told his MPs that he had “not the slightest indication that the SPD was not completely behind” Merz. “We can be counted on,” he insisted. |
| Markus Söder, the head of the Bavarian sister party of Merz’s CDU, the Christian Social Union, called on MPs to abandon any “little games or wake-up calls” and vote for Merz in the name of protecting German democracy, warning a final defeat could be seen as a “harbinger of Weimar”, the tumultuous era that ushered in the Nazis’ rise. | Markus Söder, the head of the Bavarian sister party of Merz’s CDU, the Christian Social Union, called on MPs to abandon any “little games or wake-up calls” and vote for Merz in the name of protecting German democracy, warning a final defeat could be seen as a “harbinger of Weimar”, the tumultuous era that ushered in the Nazis’ rise. |
| A failure by Merz to win in the second round would immerse Europe’s top economy into political turmoil, triggering an open-ended leadership battle or potentially even new elections in which the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party would be expected to do well – or even win outright. | A failure by Merz to win in the second round would immerse Europe’s top economy into political turmoil, triggering an open-ended leadership battle or potentially even new elections in which the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party would be expected to do well – or even win outright. |
| The AfD co-leader Alice Weidel gleefully welcomed Merz’s debacle, posting on X that his failure to win a majority in the first round “shows what a weak foundation the small coalition is built on”. | |
| The stunning developments throw a finely calibrated schedule for the week into potential disarray. | The stunning developments throw a finely calibrated schedule for the week into potential disarray. |
| Merz had been due to be sworn in Tuesday and to travel to both Paris and Warsaw on Wednesday, signalling a return to German leadership within the EU after six months of political limbo since Olaf Scholz’s government collapsed in acrimony. | Merz had been due to be sworn in Tuesday and to travel to both Paris and Warsaw on Wednesday, signalling a return to German leadership within the EU after six months of political limbo since Olaf Scholz’s government collapsed in acrimony. |
| He had been due to preside over ceremonies in Berlin marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war in Europe on Thursday before heading to Brussels on Friday to meet EU and Nato leaders. | He had been due to preside over ceremonies in Berlin marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war in Europe on Thursday before heading to Brussels on Friday to meet EU and Nato leaders. |
| Merz hoped on Tuesday to become the 10th chancellor of the postwar period, facing an already staggering in-tray of domestic and foreign policy challenges unseen since national reunification 35 years ago. | Merz hoped on Tuesday to become the 10th chancellor of the postwar period, facing an already staggering in-tray of domestic and foreign policy challenges unseen since national reunification 35 years ago. |
| The next government will have to revive the flatlining economy and fend off the far right while maintaining support for Ukraine against the backdrop of fresh uncertainty in the transatlantic relationship under Donald Trump. | The next government will have to revive the flatlining economy and fend off the far right while maintaining support for Ukraine against the backdrop of fresh uncertainty in the transatlantic relationship under Donald Trump. |
| Merz, a corporate lawyer who made a fortune in the private sector but has never led a state government or a ministry, promised “strong, well-planned and dependable governance … in times of profound change, of profound upheaval” as he signed the coalition pact on Monday. | Merz, a corporate lawyer who made a fortune in the private sector but has never led a state government or a ministry, promised “strong, well-planned and dependable governance … in times of profound change, of profound upheaval” as he signed the coalition pact on Monday. |
| “That is why we know that it is our historic obligation to lead this coalition to success,” he said, noting that partners keenly awaited a return of German stewardship in Europe. | “That is why we know that it is our historic obligation to lead this coalition to success,” he said, noting that partners keenly awaited a return of German stewardship in Europe. |
| Scholz’s Social Democrats turned in their worst performance in more than a century in February’s election, with just over 16%. Together with the CDU/CSU they have only a slim majority to pass a reform agenda in the Bundestag, where the anti-immigration, pro-Kremlin AfD forms the biggest opposition bloc. | Scholz’s Social Democrats turned in their worst performance in more than a century in February’s election, with just over 16%. Together with the CDU/CSU they have only a slim majority to pass a reform agenda in the Bundestag, where the anti-immigration, pro-Kremlin AfD forms the biggest opposition bloc. |
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| Merz, however, has a deep popularity deficit among Germans, who mistrust his often brash style and mercurial temperament. | Merz, however, has a deep popularity deficit among Germans, who mistrust his often brash style and mercurial temperament. |
| A poll last week for the public broadcaster ZDF showed that only 38% supported him as chancellor while a full 56% said he was the wrong person for the job. Merz is particularly disliked by Social Democrats, with 62% rejecting him, in a gloomy foreshadowing of Tuesday’s disaster. | A poll last week for the public broadcaster ZDF showed that only 38% supported him as chancellor while a full 56% said he was the wrong person for the job. Merz is particularly disliked by Social Democrats, with 62% rejecting him, in a gloomy foreshadowing of Tuesday’s disaster. |
| The black-red coalition, named for the parties’ colours, had stronger backing than Merz himself at 48% while 37% oppose the alliance. Yet nearly one in two Germans do not think the team has what it takes to solve the country’s most pressing problems. | The black-red coalition, named for the parties’ colours, had stronger backing than Merz himself at 48% while 37% oppose the alliance. Yet nearly one in two Germans do not think the team has what it takes to solve the country’s most pressing problems. |
| The outgoing government slashed its growth forecast for the German economy, Europe’s largest, to zero for this year, citing the impact of Trump’s erratic trade policies. Germany had already suffered two years of recession, contracting by 0.3% in 2023 and 0.2% in 2024. | The outgoing government slashed its growth forecast for the German economy, Europe’s largest, to zero for this year, citing the impact of Trump’s erratic trade policies. Germany had already suffered two years of recession, contracting by 0.3% in 2023 and 0.2% in 2024. |
| Before even taking office, Merz in March engineered a reform of the “debt brake”, curbing public spending to unleash a massive “bazooka” package of investment in Germany’s creaking infrastructure and the military, amid fears about Trump’s commitment to Nato and Ukraine’s defence against the Russian onslaught. | Before even taking office, Merz in March engineered a reform of the “debt brake”, curbing public spending to unleash a massive “bazooka” package of investment in Germany’s creaking infrastructure and the military, amid fears about Trump’s commitment to Nato and Ukraine’s defence against the Russian onslaught. |
| Germany is the second biggest national supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States. | Germany is the second biggest national supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States. |
| The bold budget move proved highly unpopular, however, with fiscal hawks in the CDU/CSU – possibly a source of the dissent on display in Tuesday’s vote. | The bold budget move proved highly unpopular, however, with fiscal hawks in the CDU/CSU – possibly a source of the dissent on display in Tuesday’s vote. |
| Merz had harboured a decades-long ambition to become chancellor but was long thwarted by his longtime rival Angela Merkel, who held the office for 16 years. Since assuming the leadership of their CDU in 2022, he has steered the party to the right of her more moderate course, particularly on border policy. | Merz had harboured a decades-long ambition to become chancellor but was long thwarted by his longtime rival Angela Merkel, who held the office for 16 years. Since assuming the leadership of their CDU in 2022, he has steered the party to the right of her more moderate course, particularly on border policy. |
| The hard-right AfD has capitalised on public backlash against migration, coming second in the February election. Two recent polls have shown it overtaking Merz’s CDU/CSU in support as it profits from the power vacuum in Berlin. | The hard-right AfD has capitalised on public backlash against migration, coming second in the February election. Two recent polls have shown it overtaking Merz’s CDU/CSU in support as it profits from the power vacuum in Berlin. |
| Last week, the BfV domestic intelligence agency designated it a “confirmed rightwing extremist” force, stoking long-running calls for an initiative to ban the party outright. Merz’s bid to claw back support from the AfD had been seen as one of the biggest challenges facing him for this term. | Last week, the BfV domestic intelligence agency designated it a “confirmed rightwing extremist” force, stoking long-running calls for an initiative to ban the party outright. Merz’s bid to claw back support from the AfD had been seen as one of the biggest challenges facing him for this term. |
| Even if he ekes out a win, Merz will engage in the battle in a feebler position than initially presumed. | Even if he ekes out a win, Merz will engage in the battle in a feebler position than initially presumed. |
| “Germany is always seen as a source of super-stability in Europe, even worldwide,” the political scientist Wolfgang Schröder told the rolling news channel n-tv. “This bumpy patch on the way to forming a government clearly shows that’s not necessarily the case. You could call it Germany becoming normal.” | “Germany is always seen as a source of super-stability in Europe, even worldwide,” the political scientist Wolfgang Schröder told the rolling news channel n-tv. “This bumpy patch on the way to forming a government clearly shows that’s not necessarily the case. You could call it Germany becoming normal.” |