German chancellor candidate fails to secure vote

In today’s confidential vote, Merz garnered only 310 votes, six short of the required majority. The German Bundestag consists of 630 members, with the ruling coalition holding 328 seats.

The German Radio website noted that it remains unclear what will happen next, but a second vote is unlikely to take place today. Parties are currently meeting to decide on the next steps, though it appears Merz’s swearing-in as head of the German government will be delayed.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has called for his withdrawal and new elections. According to German law, if Merz fails to secure an absolute majority in the first vote, a second round of voting will be held.

The Bundestag has 14 days to select another candidate for chancellor. There is no limit on the number of voting rounds, though an absolute majority is mandatory.

This is the first time such an event has occurred in the history of the Bundestag.

Based on the results of last winter’s parliamentary election, the right-wing coalition led by the 69-year-old Merz, securing over 28% of the vote, won 208 of the 630 parliamentary seats. The Christian Democratic Union’s vote share increased by over 4% compared to the previous election. Meanwhile, the far-right Alternative for Germany secured 151 seats, and the party of current Chancellor Scholz won 121 seats. The Greens, with 11.6% of the vote (85 seats), and the Left Party, with 8.7% (64 seats), ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.

Due to Merz’s shifting positions in recent weeks, his public standing has declined, and some of his conservative voter base has withdrawn support.