Friedrich Merz is German Chancellor
In a second ballot the Bundestag elects the CDU leader as successor to Olaf Scholz.
Berlin (dpa) - The Bundestag has elected CDU leader Friedrich Merz as Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany in the second ballot. He received 325 of the votes cast in the secret ballot, nine votes more than the required majority of 316 votes. The combined CDU/CSU and SPD coalition factions have 328 seats in parliament, 618 of the 630 members took part in the ballot.
Merz surprisingly failed to achieve a parliamentary majority by six votes in the first ballot, even though the Bundestag members of the ruling CDU/CSU and SPD coalition have 12 seats more than necessary.
The Merz cabinet includes ten men and eight women. The CDU and SPD each provide seven ministers, the CSU three. Vice Chancellor, and thus second most powerful person in the government after Chancellor Merz, is Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD).
After his election, Merz was presented with the certificate of appointment by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Bellevue Castle and was then sworn in at the Bundestag. This is followed by the appointment and swearing in of the ministers in his cabinet.
This Wednesday, the first full day of office for the Federal Chancellor, sees a planned visit to France and Poland, Germany’s most significant neighbouring countries and allies. New Minister of Foreign affairs, Johann Wadephul (CDU), is to accompany the Chancellor on this journey..
