German Conservative (CSU/CSU) leader Friedrich Merz was elected Chancellor by Parliament in a second ballot on Tuesday, the 6th of April, after his coalition government failed in an unprecedented first attempt, according to Reuters.
Merz, who led his conservatives to victory in federal elections in February and signed a coalition agreement with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Monday, won 325 votes in a secret ballot, nine more than needed for an absolute majority.
In the first round of voting, he received only 310 votes, meaning that at least 18 coalition members did not support him.
Political analysts said this setback was likely to increase distrust between the coalition partners, suggesting that it is far from stable at a time when Europe needs strong leadership from Germany, its largest economy.
Merz said he would rather just get on with the job than think about the motives of those who did not support him in the first round.
“After today, I have no doubt that we will work together in this coalition with mutual trust,” he told state broadcaster ARD, adding that his main priorities were to secure the country’s freedom and restore its economic competitiveness.
After Tuesday’s vote, Merz went to Bellevue Palace to be formally appointed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, before returning to the Reichstag to take the oath of office and become Germany’s tenth Chancellor since the end of the Second World War.
On Wednesday, the new German Chancellor will visit France and Poland to show that Germany is back in global politics after its recent political difficulties.
He will also speak to Trump on the phone on Thursday and could meet him ahead of a NATO meeting at the end of June, Merz told broadcaster ZDF.
“We sincerely hope… that we will see more German leadership in European and transatlantic affairs,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X. “This is especially important when the future of Europe is at stake.”
MERZ TOOK OFFICE AT A TIME WHEN EUROPE IS TRYING TO NEGOTIATE TRADE WITH THE US AND WHICH SECURITY GUARANTEES TO OFFER UKRAINE AS PART OF ANY CEASEFIRE DEAL WITH RUSSIA.
US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs could further exacerbate Germany’s economic problems, already compounded by the loss of cheap Russian gas and increasing competition from China.
In response, Germany’s new coalition deal outlined plans to revive growth, for example by cutting business taxes and reducing energy costs. It also promised strong support for Ukraine and increased military spending.
Support for the two coalition parties has fallen further since February, especially for the CDU/CSU bloc, partly after Merz broke his promise of a tough borrowing policy.
Analysts point out that the only winner in yesterday’s vote was the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which came second in February and has been among the frontrunners in the last few polls.
Analysts also point out that Merz’s new cabinet reflects a belief in the need for expertise and a restoration of public confidence.
Most of the ministers in the new cabinet are young and have private sector experience in their specialised fields, with the exception of Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who remains in office.