Alright, so like, Incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz managed to squeak through and secure his position after facing a shocking loss in the first parliamentary vote. The German lower house of parliament at the Bundestag in Berlin was buzzing on May 6 when Merz was elected in the second round of voting, following an unexpected defeat in the initial attempt.
Merz, who is aligned with the conservative party, had a rough start when his new alliance with the centre-left Social Democrats couldn’t secure enough support in the first round of voting. This was a major upset for post-war Germany and a bit of an embarrassment for Merz, who had big plans to boost economic growth amidst global uncertainty.
Despite his initial setback, Merz’s CDU/CSU alliance, which won the federal election in February, managed to secure a coalition deal with the centre-left Social Democrats. Their agreement includes strategies to jumpstart economic growth, such as cutting corporate taxes and reducing energy prices. Additionally, they pledged unwavering support for Ukraine and a commitment to increasing military spending.
Merz, who is 69 years old, started his political journey as a European lawmaker way back in 1989. This marks his first time holding a government office, so it’s a pretty big deal for him. His cabinet is mostly made up of new faces, many of whom have experience in the private sector. The only familiar face is Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who will retain his position from the previous government.
The whole shebang was supposed to go down smoothly, with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier gearing up to swear in Merz as the 10th chancellor of post-war Germany. But, things took a turn when Merz failed to secure enough votes in the first round. He eventually clinched the victory with a vote of 325 to 289 in the second round, but not without causing a bit of drama.
After the unexpected turn of events, Merz had to rush off for some emergency talks with his parliamentary group, leaving everyone a bit shook by the turn of events. People were scratching their heads, wondering if he could handle the pressure of governing if he couldn’t even secure a majority in the beginning.
The whole situation was a real headache for Merz, especially since his approval ratings were already in the dumps. The economy was in a slump, the war in Ukraine was still ongoing, and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was gaining traction. The AfD, which was recently labeled as right-wing extremist, even managed to surpass Merz’s bloc in some polls.
The opposition parties didn’t hold back in their criticism, with the AfD and the far-left Linke party questioning Merz’s ability to lead. It seems like Merz has his work cut out for him if he wants to unite the country under his leadership.
Overall, it was a wild ride in the German parliament, with twists and turns that no one saw coming. But hey, that’s politics for you. Who knows what’ll happen next? Not really sure why this matters, but that’s the scoop for now.
