Friedrich Merz confirmed as German chancellor in second vote

The German parliament has formally elected Friedrich Merz as the country’s 10th chancellor since the second world war, after a humiliating loss in the first round of voting that raised troubling doubts about the stability of the next coalition government. Merz secured 325 votes in the second round – just above the necessary 216 – after 18 unnamed rebels from the newly formed alliance between his conservatives and the Social Democrats voted to deprive him of the required majority earlier in the day in the secret ballot. A visibly relieved Merz thanked the Bundestag president, Julia Klöckner, after she announced the result. He added: “I accept the election” German parliament elects Merz chancellor in second round of voting Germany’s Merz confirmed as chancellor in second vote following first round humiliation – Europe live