UPD: The leader of the CDU/CSU bloc, Friedrich Merz, has been elected Chancellor of Germany, Deutsche Welle reports. The Bundestag approved his candidacy at the second attempt. Merz as the candidate of the Christian Democratic and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) was supported by 325 deputies out of the required 316.
On 6 May 2025, a political surprise occurred in the Bundestag: Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz did not receive the necessary majority to be elected Chancellor of Germany. Despite having a nominal coalition majority with the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), Merz received only 310 votes out of the 316 necessary, the first candidate in post-war German history to fail during the first round of voting.
After 23 February 2025 early elections, during which the CDU/CSU coalition obtained 28.6% of votes and became the leading coalition, the coalition was completed with the SPD and received 328 seats in parliament. A vote, however, revealed deep rifts within the coalition, with at least 18 MPs abstaining or voting against Merz’s candidacy. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil stated that all members of his faction voted for Merz, implying betrayal on the part of CDU/CSU members.
Merz’s demise came from growing disillusionment with his political leadership and course. His statements regarding the imperatives of a more independent German foreign policy, including calls to be less reliant on the United States and Russia, alarmed parts of the political establishment. Right-wing parties traditionally in Germany cooperate with the Americans, while left-wing parties sympathize with the USSR/Russia. In addition, his hardline stance on migration issues, for example, co-operation with the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) in voting for tougher migration legislation, sparked a wave of protests and criticism domestically.
The vote debacle threatened the stability of the newly established coalition and rattled financial markets, with the DAX index 1.8% lower and German bond yields. A new chancellor has to be elected within 14 days, or else the German president can appoint a chancellor without an absolute majority or dissolve parliament and call fresh elections.
Amid the political unrest, the opposition, especially the right-wing populist AfD, is becoming stronger and is already calling for new elections. Merz, faced with opposition within his own party and external criticism, decided to step down as a candidate, clearing the way for new political prospects in Germany.
