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Friedrich Merz suffers shock defeat in German parliament vote for chancellor German parliament elects Merz chancellor in second round of voting
(32 minutes later)
Man expected to lead country is first postwar candidate to lose first voting round, described as ‘complete catastrophe’ New leader secures 325 votes after humiliating loss in first round instigated by 18 unnamed rebels
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 German parliament has formally elected Friedrich Merz as the country’s 10th chancellor since the second world war, after a humiliating loss in the first round of voting that raised troubling doubts about the stability of the next coalition government.
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. Merz secured 325 votes in the second round – just above the necessary 216 – after 18 unnamed rebels from the newly formed alliance between his conservatives and the Social Democrats voted to deprive him of the required majority earlier in the day in the secret ballot.
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. “Madam Speaker, thank you for the trust,” a visibly relieved Merz told Bundestag president, Julia Klöckner, after she announced the result. “I accept the election.”
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 had called the earlier shock act of political sabotage a “complete catastrophe” for Merz 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. The Social Democrats, now junior partners in government, turned in their worst performance in more than a century in the election, with just over 16%.
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. Together they have only a slim majority to pass a reform agenda in the Bundestag, where the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party now forms the biggest opposition bloc.
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. A failure by Merz to win in the second round would have plunged Europe’s top economy into political turmoil, triggering an open-ended leadership battle or new elections in which the anti-immigration, pro-Kremlin AfD would have been expected to do well – or even win outright.
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. Nevertheless, the shaky start to Merz’s four-year term points to potential festering divisions in the coalition’s ranks just as he is facing an already staggering in-tray of domestic and foreign policy challenges unseen since national reunification 35 years ago.
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 incoming 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 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.
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.
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.
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 engagement with 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. The AfD co-leader Alice Weidel gleefully welcomed the earlier 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 had also threatened to throw Merz’s finely calibrated schedule for the week into disarray.
Merz is 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.
On Thursday, he is due to preside over ceremonies in Berlin marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war in Europe before heading to Brussels on Friday to meet EU and Nato leaders.
Despite leading his party to victory in February, Merz 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.
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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.
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 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” that curbs 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. However the bold budget move proved highly unpopular 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 bitter rival Angela Merkel, who watched the day’s drama from the VIP gallery of the Bundestag.
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. 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.
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. Meanwhile the hard-right AfD has capitalised on a 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.
Even if he ekes out a win, Merz will engage in the battle in a feebler position than initially presumed. 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 is seen as one of the biggest challenges facing him this term.
“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.” Although he eked out a win, Merz will now engage in the battle in a weaker position than initially presumed, while the country seeks to restore its vaunted reputation for predictability.
“Germany is always seen as a source of super-stability in Europe, even worldwide,” political scientist Wolfgang Schröder told 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.”