TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The leader of the conservative party, Friedrich Merz, has been elected as the Chancellor of Germany in the second round of parliamentary voting. His victory came after his new alliance with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) suffered a surprising defeat in the initial round.
As reported by Aljazeera, Merz's failure to secure parliamentary support in the first round of voting was a first for post-war Germany.
In the second round of the voting on Tuesday, Merz secured 325 votes. He needed a majority of 316 out of 630 votes. In the first round, he only received 310 votes, far below the 328 seats held by his coalition.
After the voting, the 69-year-old man headed to the Bellevue Palace to be officially nominated by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Subsequently, Merz will return to the historic Reichstag building in the heart of Berlin to take the oath of office as the 10th Chancellor of Germany since the end of World War II.
Merz's conservative alliance, led by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU), topped the national election in February with 28.5 percent of the vote. However, they still needed at least one coalition partner to form a majority government.
Last Monday, the CDU and CSU reached an agreement with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which received 16.4 percent of the vote in the election after the collapse of Olaf Scholz's government last year.
Their agreement has outlined plans to revive growth, such as reducing corporate taxes and lowering energy prices. The agreement also promises strong support for Ukraine as it struggles to repel the Russian invasion and higher military spending.
The selection of the new chancellor will also cover confrontational trade policies of US President Donald Trump and domestic issues such as the rise of the right-wing anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Coalition "Not United"
Dominic Kane from Aljazeera, reporting from Berlin, said Merz's failure to win in the first round of voting shows that "all is not well" in the now governing parties.
Experts said Merz's failure to secure support for his chancellorship in the first attempt was embarrassing for a figure who had promised to restore Germany's leadership on the world stage.
“The whole of Europe looked to Berlin today in the hope that Germany would reassert itself as an anchor of stability and a pro-European powerhouse,” said the head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations, Jana Puglierin.
“That hope has been dashed. With consequences way beyond our borders," Jana added.
Insiders of the parties said last Monday that Merz will soon secure a majority despite divisions within both coalition parties over cabinet nominations, policy compromises, and a large borrowing package pushed through parliament in its final days.
“This shows that the coalition is not united, which could weaken his ability to pursue policies,” said Chief Economist of the Berenberg Bank, Holger Schmieding, in London.
Merz's rough and unpredictable style, having never held a government position, has also come under scrutiny. Merz has been criticized for failing to convince some people that he is fit to be the chancellor.
“The relationship between the parties will be severely damaged because of this and [it will] exacerbate the conflicts that are already bubbling beneath the surface,” said political scientist at the University of Hanover, Philipp Koeker.
Editor’s Choice: Who Is Friedrich Merz, German Election Winner Tipped to be Chancellor?
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