15 h. ago Friedrich Merz calls for US to ‘stay out’ of German politics

Germany’s new chancellor issued warning after far-right AfD received strong backing from Donald Trump alliesGermany’s new chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned the US to “stay out” of his country’s politics after the far-right AfD received strong backing from allies of the US president, Donald Trump.Merz, 69, a conservative who was elected as chancellor of Europe’s biggest economy earlier in the day, also said he planned to speak by phone with Trump on Thursday. Continue reading...

Politics

19 h. ago The Guardian view on Germany’s political uncertainty: Merz must recover from this rocky start | Editorial

The initial failure of coalition members to back the new chancellor in sufficient numbers was a bad beginning at a treacherous moment for the nationThe election of Friedrich Merz as chancellor by German legislators on Tuesday morning was meant to end months of political instability, since the collapse of Olaf Scholz’s government half a year ago – itself the result of bitter infighting at the top. Many fear that this could be the last chance to keep out the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). But the humiliating result of the first ballot – in which Mr Merz became the first chancellor designate to fail to secure the majority needed in the Bundestag since the second world war – was a bad beginning.It was supposed to be a straightforward confirmation; instead, he was hobbled by rebels from his own coalition. Only 310 of its 328 legislators backed him, short of the 316 required. He was approved by 325 in a hastily scheduled second&nb...

Politics

21 h. ago Friedrich Merz WINS second vote to become German chancellor hours after suffering humiliating defeat that sparked calls for his resignation

Germany had been thrown into political chaos earlier today as Merz's bid to become the country's 10th chancellor shockingly failed in the first round of voting in parliament by just six votes this morning.

Politics

23 h. ago Germany’s Merz secures chancellorship in second parliamentary vote after shock upset

The fresh result will be a relief for Mr Merz after he failed to gather the votes needed to form a coalition in the first round this morning

Politics

27 h. ago Chaos in Germany as Friedrich Merz fails to be elected chancellor after MPs rebel amid anger at AfD being designated 'far right',  country's huge bill to defend Ukraine and migrant crisis

Merz, the conservative leader, was expected to win the vote on Tuesday.

Events

27 h. ago German politics bombshell as Friedrich Merz fails to get majority vote needed to be chancellor

The Bundestag now has 14 days to elect Friedrich Merz or another candidate

Politics

28 h. ago Friedrich Merz fails to be elected German chancellor in historic first for country's parliament

Merz, the conservative leader, was expected to win the vote on Tuesday.

Politics

29 h. ago Germany’s Merz falls short of votes needed to be chancellor in shock first ballot – Europe live

Session adjourned so parties can consult over process that had been expected to anoint CDU/CSU leader to replace outgoing Olaf ScholzScholz to hand over power to sound of feminist anthemHere’s a procedural explanation on what’s next, via the Bundestag’s website:To be elected, the candidate must secure the votes of an absolute majority of the Members of the Bundestag, that is half of the Members plus at least one additional vote. This is sometimes called the “chancellor majority”.If the candidate fails to secure an absolute majority in the first round of voting, a second round is held. The Bundestag then has 14 days to elect another candidate to be Chancellor. There is no limit to the number of possible ballots, although an absolute majority is always required (Article 63.3 of the Basic Law). Continue reading...

Politics

29 h. ago Friedrich Merz fails in initial vote to become Germany’s chancellor

Embarrassing defeat for conservative politician delays swearing in

Politics

57 h. ago Germany needs a unifier. In Merz, it is getting a chancellor whose instincts are to divide | Chris Reiter and Will Wilkes

Merz takes charge this week, as German industry buckles and social fractures deepen. He will struggle to bring a wary public with himA few weeks before Germany’s federal election in late February, Friedrich Merz was forced to backpedal after a daring gambit went awry. His attempt to win votes by forcing through a hardline crackdown on migration had caused a rebellion in his own Christian Democratic party (CDU). Instead of positioning himself as a strong leader, he undermined the entire German political establishment.Merz’s strategy involved breaking a taboo by relying on far-right nationalists to pass legislation for the first time in Germany’s postwar history. The move fractured the country’s normally consensus-driven centrist parties in the Bundestag, sparked mass protests and led to a rare public rebuke from the former chancellor and CDU leader Angela Merkel.Chris Reiter and Will Wilkes are the authors of Broken Republik: The Inside Story of Germany’s Descent into Crisis. The Ger...

Politics

3 d. ago Australian federal election 2025 live: Coalition licks wounds after Peter Dutton loses seat in Labor election thrashing – latest Australia news and updates

Labor is set to govern with a huge majority after the Coalition vote collapsed and Peter Dutton lost his seat of Dickson. Follow today’s news and the latest resultsElection 2025 results LIVE: Australia votes tracker and federal seat countsAnthony Albanese secures ‘win for the ages’ for Labor at federal electionGlum and glummer: Liberal faithful reel as Peter Dutton loses seat of Dickson after 24 yearsFull coverage of the Australian electionGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLittleproud on Labor: ‘They’re a slick machine’Finally, David Littleproud is asked about what impact Donald Trump had on the outcome after Labor sought to tie Peter Dutton to the US president throughout the campaign.What Anthony Albanese and the Labor team were able to was to really tap into these sorts of issues and then paint a bigger picture and destroy his character.I think there’s a lesson in how they (Labor) did politics. They did it a lot better than us, and you’ve got to acknowledg...

Politics

6 d. ago Local elections live: Millions vote across England in major test for Labour, Reform and Tories

Voters casting ballots in 23 local authorities and six mayoral contests across England

Politics

7 d. ago Local elections 2025: What time polling stations open and close tomorrow

Campaigning in the 2025 local elections enters its final day as millions of voters in England will head to the polls tomorrow - the first major vote since last year's General Election

Politics

1 week ago Stagecoach drivers in Scotland vote to strike with major disruption expected

Unite the Union says members have rejected a four per cent pay offer.

Politics

2 w. ago Why a holiday in the US is out of the question | Zoe Williams

The US administration’s ‘reassuring’ words, after deporting two German teens, have made it plain that the border authorities will have a problem with anyone who doesn’t echo their politics In the grand scheme of things, the deportation of two German teenagers, Charlotte Pohl and Maria Lepere, from Hawaii is not the most alarming thing the US administration has done recently. Yes, it is peculiar, you might even call it chilling, that you can now be ejected from America for not having sorted your accommodation before you arrived. The experience itself – handcuffs, strip-searches, body scans, prison uniforms, a night in a cell – sounds pretty harrowing. But at least they were only detained for one night. They could have been held for 12 days, like the Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney; or 16 days, like Lucas Sielaff, also German, who was driving from Mexico with his American fiancee, and says he still has nightmares about it.Marco Rubio has reassured the world that: “If you’re not coming...

Politics

2 w. ago Teenage German tourists handcuffed and deported from Hawaii over ‘suspicious’ hotel booking

‘We had already noticed a little bit of what was going on in the U.S. But at the time, we didn't think it was happening to Germans,’ Maria Lepère says

Society

2 w. ago Why the Pope could never be female as Vatican officials set to meet to choose new leader

Cardinals from across the globe will gather in a conclave to vote and a new pope will be elected by the majority but due to tradition and history, a woman will never be the leader of the Catholic Church

Politics

2 w. ago Orbán’s stance on Ukraine pushes Hungary to brink in EU relations

Member states are considering removing the country’s voting rights after its attempts to stymie support for KyivThe posters are going up all over Hungary. “Let’s not allow them to decide for us,” runs the slogan alongside three classic villains of Hungarian government propaganda.They are: Ukraine’s wartime leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy; the European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen; and Manfred Weber, the German politician who leads the centre-right European People’s party in the European parliament, which counts Hungary’s most potent opposition politician among its ranks. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago US officials to meet European leaders in Paris to discuss Ukraine war

Trump envoys to meet Macron as well as British and German politicians to discuss concerns about RussiaTwo of Donald Trump’s top national security aides will hold talks in Paris on Thursday with European politicians and security advisers, as the US and Europe search for common ground on ending the Ukraine war and averting an Iran conflict.The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, are expected to hear concerns about Russia amid so-far fruitless US attempts to arrange a ceasefire three years after Russia invaded its neighbour. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Teachers on path to strike action after major vote on 'unacceptable' pay offer

The largest education union in the country will launch a formal ballot on strike action if the Government's final pay offer for teachers 'remains unacceptable'

Politics