UPDATE: In a second vote held in the afternoon, Merz obtained the required majority, with 325 votes in favour.
Brussels – A dramatic turn of events in Berlin: for the first time in German history, the chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz failed–by a whisker–to be elected on the first ballot by parliament in this morning’s (May 6) session. The leader of the CDU fell short by six votes to cross the absolute majority threshold, set at 316 in the new Bundestag composed of 630 members.
Instead, Merz secured only 310 “yes” votes. It was a severe setback, given that on paper, his majority in the House counts 328 deputies (208 from the Union, composed of the CDU and CSU, and 120 from the SPD), and everything seemed to run smoothly. However, the secret ballot provided cover for at least 18 rebels, a development more typical of Italy than Germany, clearly demonstrating how the days of proverbial political stability in Germany are now definitely over. By an ironic coincidence, all this happened exactly six months after the collapse of the “traffic light coalition” of the outgoing chancellor, the Social Democratic leader Olaf Scholz.
It was the first time in the history of the Federal Republic that a chancellor-in-waiting (i.e., someone who, like the 69-year-old conservative leader, had already put together a parliamentary majority and a government team) did not get the green light from the Chamber on the first ballot. Confusion reigns supreme at the Bundestag, where the session was adjourned, and political groups met to coordinate the next steps. The future of the government thus remains hanging by a thread, with the “grand coalition” between conservatives and social democrats proving to be crippled even before it takes office.
According to German law, there should be a second ballot within 14 days to try again to elect Merz as Bundeskanzler. Technically, there is no cap on the number of possible votes, but an absolute majority of assembly members is always required for election at this stage. According to local media reports, however, the second round will not be held today to avoid a disastrous replay of this morning’s vote. Unconfirmed rumors indicate Friday (May 9) as the most likely date.
Should the head of the Christian Democrats fail again to get 316 votes, it will enter the third phase of the process in which the hemicycle will have to elect “immediately” another candidate to head the government. In this vote, however, the relative majority of the members of Parliament will be sufficient.
If the new chancellor is elected during the second phase, the President of the Republic, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, will have seven days to appoint him to lead the executive. If, on the contrary, he is elected during the third phase, the head of state will have to choose between appointment (again within seven days) or to disband the Bundestag and call new early elections. The ultra-right wing of AfD has already begun to call for the latter outcome.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub“As the AfD, we have set out to turn this country upside down. We are ready for government responsibility. And call for common sense to prevail. Mr. #Merz should step down immediately. The way should be opened for new elections in our country!” pic.twitter.com/gzZochF5p5
— Alice Weidel (@Alice_Weidel) May 6, 2025
