Status: 06.05.2025 11:24 a.m.
This has never been in the history of the Federal Republic: CDU boss Merz has not reached a majority in the first round. He received only 310 votes in a secret vote – six less than needed.
It is a bang: CDU boss Friedrich Merz failed in the Chancellor election in the Bundestag in the first round. He received 310 yes votes in a secret vote and thus six less than the necessary majority of 316. The coalition factions CDU/CSU and SPD together have 328 seats in parliament.
“MP Friedrich Merz has not reached the necessary majority of at least 316 votes,” said Bundestag president Julia Klöckner. “He is not elected Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany in accordance with Article 63 paragraph two of the Basic Law.” According to Klöckner, 621 of the 630 MPs had participated in the election.
Fractions advise on further procedures
It is a novelty in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. After a federal election and successful coalition negotiations, a designated chancellor had failed in the election in the Bundestag.
The Bundestag meeting was then interrupted. The political groups are now advising on how to proceed. It is about when there could be a second ballot.
Merz and the SPD-CO chairwoman Lars Klingbeil had emphasized on Monday that they were calculating with a clear majority of future government fractions in the chancellor’s election. At special faction sessions in the morning, both Union and the SPD found that all MPs are present.
Second ballot within 14 days
The Basic Law regulates how things are going on. Article 63 states: “If the proposed is not elected, the Bundestag can choose a Federal Chancellor within 14 days of the election with more than half of its members.”
A second ballot can now be set within two weeks. During these two weeks there could also be any number of electoral courses with various candidates. However, the absolute majority of at least 316 votes is again required to be chosen. Even if there is still no chancellor’s majority, the majority of the votes of the MPs present are sufficient.
-Apparently several dissatisfied
According to the Reuters news agency, the fact that Members of the Union and the SPD were not voted for Merz was declared that there were apparently a number of dissatisfied. This could include politicians who were not given posts in government formation.
In the SPD, however, there were also fundamental reservations against Merz. In the Union, in turn, the financial policy, which was changed after the election, had partially caused criticism with the softening of the debt brake for defense spending and a special fund of special funds for infrastructure.
From the Union faction’s circles it was said that the Union was behind Merz, that was the DNA of the Union. Missing voices could only come from the SPD. In the Union faction hall, there were minutes of applause for Merz.
The SPD faction, on the other hand, explained to this ARD main city studioyou didn’t have the slightest indication that the SPD did not make fully tuned. 85 percent in the member vote are an order to the parliamentary group and it fulfills it. “You can rely on us.”
Six men, four women
These are the ministers of the Union
AfD: “Weak foundation of the coalition”
The AfD evaluates the failure of the CDU leader in the first ballot as a bad omen for the future federal government. The result shows “on which weak foundation the small coalition of the Union and the SPD elected by the citizens is built,” wrote AfD boss Alice Weidel in the network X.
The Greens boss Franziska Brantner called the failed election “regrettable, because he weakens not only the future government, but also our country and trust in our democracy”. The situation is serious. “We wish for a government capable of action for Europe and Germany.” Unfortunately, Merz and Klingbeil could not have secured the majority of their own political groups. “You now have to prove that you can do that now, but also for four years.”
The Left Party, in turn, sees the result as a vote of no confidence against Merz. If he doesn’t even get the trust of his own people, “how should he win the trust of the people who fight with the real problems of everyday life,” said left-wing boss Jan van Aken. “He succeeds not connect, but only to split.” Link Co-Co-boss Ines Schwerdtner accused Merz not to have clearly delimited himself from the AfD.
