Merz Fails in First Parliament Vote to Become Germany’s Next Chancellor: Live Updates
New York Times3 days
Merz Elected Germany's Chancellor in Second Vote
Above: German Chancellor-designated Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democrats (CDU) is applauded after being elected in a second vote in the Bundestag on May 6, 2025. Image copyright: Odd Andersen/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Europe needs a strong Germany nowadays, and the leadership of Merz will be crucial despite a rocky start. It's no wonder that markets in Germany pared losses as soon as he won the second round of voting, as his centrist coalition with the Social Democrats will keep the far-right extremist AfD out of power and turbocharge defense spending.
Left narrative
Germany needs a unifier who can rally a divided nation with vision and purpose — and Merz is not the right person for the job. He is a divisive figure with inflammatory rhetoric about migrants, and his spending packages have no clear goals or objectives. To make matters worse, his election may empower the far-right AfD in the near future.
Right narrative
Merz's fiasco in the first round of voting is the price for his voter betrayal and machinations, pushing through major constitutional reforms through the outgoing parliament, and a warning that the coalition between CDU/CSU and Social Democrats is doomed to be unstable. He should step aside and clear the way for a fresh general election.