Friedrich Merz has officially become Germany’s 10th post-war chancellor following a dramatic two-round vote in the Bundestag on Tuesday, May 5. The leader of the CDU/CSU center-right and conservative party alliance won the second ballot with 325 votes, surpassing the required absolute majority, after falling short by six votes in an unexpected defeat during the first round. The rare initial failure exposed internal friction within his fragile coalition with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD).
Merz, 69, replaces Olaf Scholz, whose government collapsed in late 2024. The new chancellor now leads a coalition tasked with reviving Germany’s stagnating economy, boosting defense spending, tightening immigration controls, and restoring Germany’s global leadership. His long political journey, once stymied by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, culminated in this high-stakes moment just ahead of the 80th anniversary of Germany’s World War II surrender.
The CDU-SPD alliance, once stable under Merkel, now faces intense scrutiny. Merz’s failure to secure the chancellorship in the first vote set off emergency meetings and raised alarms across Germany. CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, “The whole of Europe, perhaps even the whole world, is watching this second round of voting,” and urged MPs to “be aware of this special responsibility.”
Following his swearing-in, Merz traveled to Paris and Warsaw to reaffirm Germany’s central role in the European Union. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed him with a joint defense initiative, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope for “more German leadership in European and transatlantic affairs.”
Merz, a strong supporter of Ukraine, pledged intensive consultations with France, Britain, and potentially Poland. “If we can include the Poles, then it will be even better,” he stated. His openness to sending long-range weapons and supporting peacekeeping operations in the war-torn nation contrasts with Scholz’s more cautious approach.
Domestically, Merz has already pushed through a partial easing of Germany’s debt brake to support military investment, calling it a necessary step to safeguard “peace and freedom.” The coalition’s governing agreement emphasizes strengthened partnerships with France and Poland, aiming for unified European policy.
Despite the rocky start, Merz emphasized the gravity of the moment, saying, “We live in times of profound change, of profound upheaval… and of great uncertainty. And that is why we know that it is our historic obligation to lead this coalition to success.”
