4 h. ago Friedrich Merz arrives as a humbled new German chancellor – but that may not be the worst way to start | Jörg Lau

Defeat in the first round of a confirmation vote was humiliating. It could be the lesson Merz needed to change his leadership styleThere goes the cliche about German politics being stable but dull. Germany finally has a new leader, but only after a day of drama, suspense and historic twists. The conservative Friedrich Merz failed to secure a majority confirming him as chancellor in the first round of voting in the Bundestag. In eight decades of postwar Germany, this has never happened before.When Merz’s cabinet was finally sworn in later on Tuesday afternoon, after a successful second round, both parties in the governing coalition – the conservative CDU/CSU and the Social Democrats (SPD) – were eager to play down the failure as a mere hiccup. But the high drama indicates a new degree of fragmentation and instability in the German party system. It is certain to affect the way this new administration will govern.Jörg Lau is an international correspondent for the German weekly Die Zeit...

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11 h. ago Friedrich Merz to visit Warsaw and Paris in first trip as German chancellor to stress European unity

Friedrich Merz has made his world-affairs debut as Germany’s new chancellor

Events

22 h. ago Friedrich Merz warns the US to ‘stay out’ of Germany’s politics

Germany’s new chancellor cautions after far-right AfD receive 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...

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22 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...

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25 h. ago Germany’s Merz confirmed as chancellor in second parliamentary vote after shock first

New leader suffered humiliating loss in the first round, falling six votes short of an absolute majority

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28 h. ago Germany’s Merz confirmed as chancellor in second parliamentary vote after first round shock defeat

New leader suffered a humiliating loss in the first round – falling six votes short of an absolute majority

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28 h. ago What held up Friedrich Merz’s confirmation as chancellor and what’s next for Germany?

The CDU/CSU leader suffered an embarrassing surprise defeat in a first vote that was expected to be a formalityEurope live – latest updatesFriedrich Merz has been confirmed as Germany’s new chancellor but the process was not as smooth as he would have liked – and that’s an understatement. Continue reading...

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29 h. ago Friedrich Merz wins second vote to become Germany’s chancellor

Previous defeat had marked a first in country’s postwar history

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29 h. ago Germany’s Merz confirmed as chancellor in second vote following first round humiliation – Europe live

CDU/CSU leader had expected an easy victory in ballot to succeed the outgoing Olaf ScholzMerz suffers shock defeat in German parliament vote for chancellorFor what it’s worth, multiple German media are now suggesting that there won’t be another round of voting today – exactly because Merz and his team worry about the risk of another hugely embarrassing defeat.Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Bild and Stern’s Julias Betschka all say the second vote is unlikely to take place today. Let’s wait for the official confirmation, though. Continue reading...

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29 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

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31 h. ago Germany’s Merz faces second parliament vote to be elected chancellor after shock defeat in first – Europe live

Man expected to lead country is first postwar candidate to lose first voting round, described as ‘complete catastrophe’Merz suffers shock defeat in German parliament vote for chancellorFor what it’s worth, multiple German media are now suggesting that there won’t be another round of voting today – exactly because Merz and his team worry about the risk of another hugely embarrassing defeat.Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Bild and Stern’s Julias Betschka all say the second vote is unlikely to take place today. Let’s wait for the official confirmation, though. Continue reading...

Politics

31 h. ago Why Friedrich Merz’s shock defeat could upset his ambitious plans for the EU – and what happens next

Mr Merz was expected to be Germany’s next chancellor but the vote has thrown his plans into chaos

Events

33 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

34 h. ago Humiliation for Germany’s Merz in vote to be chancellor as he falls short in first ballot – Europe live

Further vote not expected today in process that had been expected to anoint CDU/CSU leader to replace outgoing Olaf ScholzScholz to hand over power to sound of feminist anthemFor what it’s worth, multiple German media are now suggesting that there won’t be another round of voting today – exactly because Merz and his team worry about the risk of another hugely embarrassing defeat.Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Bild and Stern’s Julias Betschka all say the second vote is unlikely to take place today. Let’s wait for the official confirmation, though. Continue reading...

Politics

35 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...

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

Embarrassing defeat for conservative politician delays swearing in

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63 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...

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3 w. ago There are opportunities for Keir Starmer in Trump's trade chaos. Here's how he can seize them | Martin Kettle

From fiscal rules to universities, doors have opened that were shut three months ago. Our future depends on which he choosesIt was Bismarck who expressed the art of political leadership most poetically. “A statesman cannot create anything himself,” Germany’s 19th-century iron chancellor once said. “He must wait and listen until he hears the steps of God sounding through events; then leap up and grasp the hem of his garment.”In other words, when it comes, seize the day. Leadership as Bismarck perfected it combined opportunity, readiness and drive. If circumstances allowed – something Bismarck was brilliant at ensuring – an opening might present itself, through which he could propel the state in the direction he wanted. At such moments, the gales of history seem to intensify, making it possible to achieve things that would otherwise be impossible, or more hazardous, in normal times. Continue reading...

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