Friedrich Merz has failed to secure enough support to become Germany’s next chancellor, falling short by six votes in the Bundestag’s first round of voting. In a secret ballot held on Tuesday, Merz received 310 votes in favour, just under the required 316 needed to secure a majority in the 630-member parliament.
The outcome was a surprising setback for the conservative leader, who had been expected to succeed Olaf Scholz following the collapse of Scholz’s coalition government last year. Parties backing Merz had already approved a coalition deal, giving them a narrow majority of 328 seats. However, some lawmakers appear to have broken ranks.
There will now be two further rounds of voting in the Bundestag, and in the third and final round a simple majority of lawmakers will suffice to see him elected. The vote, held on the eve of the 80th anniversary of Germany’s unconditional surrender in World War II, marked the first time a chancellor candidate has failed in the first round since the war.
It had been expected to be a formality, with Merz backed by his CDU/CSU alliance and the centre-left SPD, which together hold 328 seats. But three MPs abstained, one ballot was invalid, and nine were absent, narrowing his path. The result was met with cheers by MPs from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which recently scored over 20% in the election.
Merz is aiming to replace Olaf Scholz after his three-party coalition collapsed in November. The CDU leader has promised to focus on economic revival, border security and a tougher stance on migration. His government-in-waiting has already approved a massive spending package to rebuild infrastructure and the underfunded military.
But his failure to win on the first ballot highlights tensions in the new coalition and growing public discontent, with the AfD now officially labelled a “right-wing extremist” party by Germany’s intelligence service. This classification sparked backlash from US officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who accused Germany of targeting a political rival.
The Bundestag has 14 days to elect a chancellor with an absolute majority. If no one secures the required votes, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier can appoint the candidate with the most support or dissolve parliament for a new election.