Merz elected German chancellor at second attempt

The leader of the Christian Democratic Union party had unexpectedly fallen short of the 316-vote threshold earlier on Tuesday

The leader of the Christian Democratic Union, Friedrich Merz, has been elected as German chancellor at the second attempt. Earlier on Tuesday, Merz fell six votes short of the required 316-vote threshold, but hours later rallied conservatives and allies in the country’s parliament to win 325 votes.

The situation is unprecedented in Germany’s post-war history, as no prospective chancellor had previously failed to be voted through by the Bundestag at the first attempt after securing a coalition agreement.

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