Overview

• Friedrich Merz became Germany's 10th postwar chancellor after winning a second parliamentary vote, following a surprising first-round loss where he fell six votes short of a majority.
• The first-round defeat marked the first time in Germany's postwar history that a chancellor-designate failed to secure an absolute majority on the initial ballot.
• Merz's slim coalition majority of 328 seats was undermined by 18 coalition MPs withholding support during the first vote, raising questions about internal dissent within the CDU/CSU–SPD alliance.
• The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), now classified as a 'confirmed rightwing extremist' organization, seized on the initial defeat, with co-leader Alice Weidel calling for Merz's resignation and fresh elections.
• The new government faces significant challenges, including economic stagnation, migration policy reform, and maintaining Germany's leadership role in European and transatlantic security during a period of geopolitical strain.