On May 6, 2025, Friedrich Merz's aspirations to become Germany's chancellor hit a snag as he failed to secure enough support during the first round of parliamentary voting, prompting a second vote. This unprecedented setback raises concerns about the stability of his coalition and the future of economic reforms in Germany.
Setback for Friedrich Merz: First Round Voting for Chancellor Ends in Surprise Failure
Setback for Friedrich Merz: First Round Voting for Chancellor Ends in Surprise Failure
The Christian Democratic leader Friedrich Merz falls short in his initial parliamentary bid for chancellorship, setting the stage for a critical second vote amid growing economic and political challenges.
Current time in Berlin 3:21 p.m. May 6 Live Updated May 6, 2025, 9:12 a.m. ET
Live Updates: Friedrich Merz Stumbles in Bid to Become Germany’s Next Leader
The conservative leader, who won national elections in February, failed to secure the parliamentary votes needed to become chancellor. A second vote was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
Friedrich Merz fell short of getting enough votes to be named Germany’s chancellor on Tuesday.
Here’s the latest.
A second parliamentary vote was set to be held on Tuesday afternoon after Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s conservative Christian Democrats and the country’s leader-in-waiting since winning national elections in February, failed to secure enough votes to become chancellor in a first round of voting in the morning.
The setback in the first round was surprising and demoralizing for Mr. Merz, as Germany confronts mounting challenges to its economy, national security, and foreign alliances.
And it was a stumble without precedent: Since the founding of modern Germany, no candidate for chancellor has ever failed to win in the first round of voting. In the secret ballot, Mr. Merz was just six votes short of a 316-vote majority, and the identity of the holdouts was unclear. In the vote, 307 lawmakers voted against Mr. Merz, and nine abstained. The opposition has 302 votes, suggesting that some in Mr. Merz’s coalition had opposed him.
Hours later, Lars Klingbeil, who is expected to become Germany’s next vice chancellor, announced that a second parliamentary vote would be held on Tuesday afternoon. “It is important that Germany gets a stable government, that we can very quickly start working within reliable structures, and that we work to ensure that this country is strong and well governed,” he told reporters.
German stocks had slid on the news of the first vote, with economists warning it could be an ominous sign for Mr. Merz’s agenda to revitalize growth in Europe’s biggest economy.
Germany’s blue-chip index fell, led by drops in defense and energy companies that stood to benefit from the future government’s planned investment programs.
Mr. Merz’s party, its sister party, the Christian Social Union, and their coalition partner, the center-left Social Democrats, together still have enough votes to elect a chancellor and form a government.
Here’s what else to know: Previous stumbles: It was not the first time this year that Mr. Merz had lost a high-profile vote in embarrassing fashion. In January, he stirred controversy — and nationwide protests — by forcing a vote on tough new immigration restrictions. He broke a political taboo in the process, by trying to pass the measures with the help of the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD. But the final vote failed after many lawmakers from Mr. Merz’s own party rebelled.
German far-right: The AfD finished second in the February elections, though no other German party will work with it. It has since been classified as far-right extremist by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency. After Mr. Merz lost the vote on Tuesday, the AfD’s chancellor candidate, Alice Weidel, called for new elections — a call that will almost certainly be ignored.
Relations with Europe: Mr. Merz had expected to be sworn in on Tuesday. If he isn’t, he will have to redo a carefully orchestrated schedule of foreign visits he was set to undertake. On Wednesday, he planned to visit Paris and Warsaw to meet with President Emmanuel Macron of France and Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland, demonstrating a commitment to two key alliances on what was supposed to be his first full day as chancellor.
Merz’s party: A defeat had appeared possible because of Mr. Merz’s thin coalition majority, but not likely. Carsten Linnemann, the secretary-general of Mr. Merz’s Christian Democrats, said he was very surprised by the results. “The world and Europe are not waiting for us,” he said. “On the contrary, they would like us to return to stability quickly.”
