Friedrich Merz, Conservative Leader, Defeated in First Round of Voting for Germany's 10th Chancellor

Friedrich Merz, Conservative Leader, Defeated in First Round of Voting for Germany's 10th Chancellor

[Berlin, May 6, 2025] – According to a Reuters report, Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), was defeated in the first round of voting for the chancellorship in Germany's parliament. In Tuesday's vote, he received only 310 votes, falling short of the required 316 votes. This is seen as a significant setback for his newly formed center-right and center-left coalition.

The 69-year-old Merz led his CDU/CSU conservative coalition to a 28.5% share of the vote in February's national elections. To form a government, he signed a coalition agreement with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), who received only 16.4% of the vote, marking their worst performance in modern German history.

Bundestag Speaker Julia Klöckner stated that due to Merz's failure to secure a majority, the session would be temporarily suspended, and the parties would enter discussions about the next steps. Within the next 14 days, the parliament must elect Merz or another candidate to the chancellorship with a majority vote.

While a second round of voting could be held soon, doubts have arisen about the future of Merz's coalition government following this first-round defeat. Experts suggest that the SPD's weak performance could undermine internal support for the coalition.

It remains to be seen whether Merz can solidify his position in the next vote or if Germany will see a new chancellor.