The election of the new German Chancellor has brought unexpected drama. After a turbulent day, Friedrich Merz, president of the CDU and leader of the conservative CDU/CSU union, was finally elected Chancellor, but only in the second round of voting. This result reflects the tense political situation in the country after the snap elections in February and the difficult coalition negotiations.
Voting in the Bundestag began in the morning when Merz failed to win the necessary majority in the first round. 316 votes were needed to succeed, but Merz received only 310 votes in favour, while 307 MPs voted against, three abstained and one vote was invalid.
This result was unique in German history - for the first time in post-war history a candidate for chancellor did not win a majority in the first round, despite the comfortable majority of the CDU/CSU and SPD coalition, which together has 328 MPs.
The failure sparked a wave of reactions. The opposition, especially the AfD, immediately took advantage of the situation - party chairwoman Alice Weidel described the result as proof of the weakness of the coalition and called for early elections, which according to polls her party could win with 24-26 % votes.
After the morning's setback, the factions took a break to decide on the way forward. Initially, there was speculation that the second round of voting would be postponed until Friday, as Merz's team feared another defeat that could plunge the country into a deeper political crisis. In the end, however, the parliamentary parties - including the CDU/CSU, the SPD, the Greens and the Left - reached an agreement to hold the second round on the same day.
The second round of voting brought Merz the desired success. He received 325 votes, 15 more than in the first round and nine more than needed for an absolute majority. There were 289 votes against him, one abstention and three invalid votes. The vote was again held by secret ballot, which makes it difficult to analyse who ultimately supported Merz.
Immediately after his election, Merz went to President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who officially appointed him as the tenth Chancellor of the Federal Republic. This was followed by the swearing-in in the Bundestag and the handover of the office by the outgoing Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who symbolically handed Merz the 'keys to the chancellorship'.
Merz's dramatic ascension to office, however, remains marred by initial setbacks. Known for his emphasis on strategic autonomy for Europe, strengthening defence capabilities and economic liberalisation, Merz comes at a time of significant challenges: the German economy is stagnating, war continues in Ukraine, US tariffs under Donald Trump threaten trade and the AfD is strengthening its influence. The Merz government, made up of a grand coalition of the CDU/CSU and SPD, will have to find common ground quickly to prevent further political instability.
gnews.cz - GH
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