Germany’s Merz Fails to Win Majority in Chancellor Vote

Post by : Layla Badr

Photo: Reuters

Germany’s conservative leader, Friedrich Merz, has failed to become the new chancellor after not getting enough support in a key vote in parliament. This result was unexpected and is seen as a big setback for Merz and his party, the Christian Democrats (CDU).

Merz needed at least 316 votes in the 630-seat Bundestag (Germany's parliament) to win. However, he received only 310 votes. This happened even though his coalition with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) had enough seats to win. It appears that 18 members of parliament who were expected to support him did not vote for him. This kind of failure has not happened in modern German politics since 1949.

Now, the Bundestag has 14 days to try again to elect a chancellor. More votes can take place during this time, and the rules allow for unlimited votes. In the end, if no candidate wins a majority, someone could still become chancellor with a simple majority (more yes votes than no votes, even if it’s not over 316).

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel  

There is no clear schedule yet for the next vote. Many in Berlin said the mood after the vote was confused and tense. Bundestag President Julia Klöckner is planning another vote on Wednesday. However, Christian Democrat General Secretary Carsten Linnemann said he hoped a second vote would happen before the end of the day. He told German TV, "Europe needs a strong Germany. We can't wait for days."

Some political experts believe Merz’s failure happened because a few SPD members were unhappy with the coalition agreement signed just one day earlier. These members may have voted against him or refused to vote. This makes the situation even more embarrassing for Merz, who had just won the federal election two and a half months ago.

The defeat was also used by Merz’s political enemies. The far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), which came second in the election with 20.8% of the vote, quickly attacked the result. Their leader Alice Weidel said on social media that the vote showed the new coalition was weak and unpopular.

Still, Merz’s team is trying to stay hopeful. Johann Wadephul, a senior Christian Democrat and Merz’s pick for foreign minister, said the vote was “an obstacle but not a catastrophe.” He added, “We will try again, and I’m sure Merz will become chancellor.”

Germany has a careful process for changing governments. On Monday evening, the current chancellor, Olaf Scholz, was honored with a traditional military ceremony before stepping down. Merz, who is 69 years old, had been expected to win and visit the president to be sworn in. Even former chancellor Angela Merkel came to watch the vote in parliament.

Now, Merz has to decide quickly whether to risk another vote or wait. His loss could cause problems within the coalition, which already seems shaky. Some political experts warned that if he did become chancellor later, it could still be hard to lead with trust and unity.

Green party leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt said, “This isn’t good. Even though I don’t want Merz as chancellor, no one should be happy about this mess.”

Just a day earlier, things looked more hopeful. The new coalition deal was signed, and many hoped Germany would finally have a stable government after six months of political arguments and delays. Merz had said, “It’s our historical duty to make this government a success.”

Even though the coalition only has a narrow lead of 12 seats, it was seen as more stable than the previous government. The old three-party “traffic light” coalition fell apart last year due to disagreements over government spending.

The SPD, which was the biggest party in the old government, performed poorly in the recent election and fell to third place. Still, Merz believed his new leadership would bring Germany back to strength, boost its global voice, and fix the economy.

Germany’s economy, which was in a recession for two years, finally grew again at the start of 2025. However, some experts warn that problems could return—especially if new tariffs from the U.S. hurt German exports. At the same time, Germany’s services sector, which includes shops, restaurants, and other businesses, shrank last month because fewer people were spending money.

For now, Germany’s future leadership remains uncertain as all eyes turn to the next vote in parliament. Will Merz try again? And if he does, can he win this time?

#trending #latest #GermanyPolitics #FriedrichMerz #ChancellorVote #Bundestag #PoliticalSetback #CoalitionCrisis #GermanElection #SPD #GermanyGovernment #EUPolitics #PoliticalUncertainty #MerzFailure #GermanNews #Merkel #GermanyLeadership #headlines #topstories #globalUpdate #dxbnewsnetwork #dxbnews #dxbdnn #dxbnewsnetworkdnn #bestnewschanneldubai #bestnewschannelUAE #bestnewschannelabudhabi #bestnewschannelajman #bestnewschannelofdubai #popularnewschanneldubai