The Bundestag voted against the election of Merz as Chancellor of Germany. What the media is writing

Friedrich Merz's expected election as German Chancellor did not take place. He did not win a majority of votes in the Bundestag, despite the coalition agreement reached between the Conservatives and the Social Democrats. This is the first such case in history. A new vote must be held within 14 days. What the media write about the sudden political crisis is in the Izvestia digest.

Reuters: Merz could not be elected in the first round of voting

Merz failed to gain a parliamentary majority in the first round of voting to be elected chancellor. This was an unexpected setback for his new coalition with the Social Democrats. The Conservative leader won only 310 votes in the lower house of parliament. He needed 316 votes to get a majority.

The Bundestag now has 14 days to elect Merz or another candidate for the post of chancellor with an absolute majority of votes. The deputies could try to hold another vote immediately. The coalition agreement with the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), according to which Merz should become chancellor, was signed a day earlier.

Bild: There will be no repeat vote on Merz's candidacy immediately

The parliamentary faction of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) announced that the second round of voting on the election of Merz as chancellor will not take place on May 6. The situation when the German Chancellor was not elected after the signing of the coalition agreement occurred for the first time in the history of Germany.

In addition to Merz, other politicians will be able to nominate their candidacies within 14 days. If elections with an absolute majority are not held by the end of this period, it is planned to hold a final vote with a simple majority between several candidates. If a candidate wins only a relative majority of votes, the decision is made by the Federal President, who can also dissolve the Bundestag and call new elections.

Tagesspiegel: A Turning point in Germany's post-war history

Never before has a candidate for the post of German Chancellor failed in the first round of voting. All nine previous chancellors managed to be elected on the first attempt, although some received only a small advantage. What has happened now is a turning point in the history of Germany.

In the process of forming a government, there are always members of parliament who are unhappy, for example, with the coalition agreement or the fact that they did not get the desired position. Now the refusal to vote for Merz indicates the willingness of German politicians to play with the stability of German democracy. If Merz fails again in the second round of voting, it could mean new elections. Germany cannot afford it.

The New York Times: What you need to know about the new German government

Before the election of the Chancellor, a coalition agreement was signed on the composition of the new government. Some decisions regarding the composition of the Cabinet surprised political observers. Merz has attracted several people from the private sector, which is an extremely rare decision for the German federal government. Until this year, Carsten Wildberger was the head of Germany's largest electronics retailer. Now he will become the first minister for Digitalization and modernization.

Boris Pistorius, the popular Defense minister from the Social Democrats, will remain in office, which is also a rarity in German politics. Lars Klingbeil, the head of the Social Democrats, will receive the post of vice chancellor and finance minister. Two of the ministers, Karin Prin and Reem Alabali-Radovan, were not born in Germany, which is unusual for German politics. Prin, who will be in charge of education, is Jewish, another first in post—war Germany. Some of her ancestors fled the Nazis, moving to the Netherlands in the 1930s.

German lesson: how Scholz was remembered as German Chancellor

And what to expect from the new head of the Cabinet of Ministers Merz

The Washington Post: Europe expects leadership from Germany

The change of power in Germany is taking place amid deteriorating relations between Europe and the United States. Key allies from Paris to Warsaw are counting on Berlin to become a pillar for a rethought European security strategy and act as a stabilizing force. Observers on both sides of the Atlantic say that Merz, who speaks fluent English and is a practical speaker, could be well suited to communicate with US President Donald Trump.

During the election campaign, Merz stated that he plans to significantly strengthen the German army and increase European defense capability with the help of newly allocated defense funds. However, even with guaranteed funding, experts warn that Germany's bureaucracy and limited industrial capacity could hinder progress.