Draft:Election and inauguration of Friedrich Merz

to be done -- notability: the election itself garnered significant one-off attention as being a historic first, in addition to the general notability of inaugurations

Election and inauguration of Friedrich Merz

Date	May 6, 2025 (2025-05-06)

On May 6, 2025, Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union was elected and inaugurated as the 10th Chancellor of Germany.

Merz's party, the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and its sibling party Christian Social Union (CSU), secured a victory in February's snap election. The following coalition negotiations between the CDU/CSU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) were seen as a "last resort" coalition, with both parties experiencing significant internal disagreement. As a result, the Bundestag rejected electing Merz as Chancellor in the first round, instead electing him in a second round later that day. His oath of office was administered by Julia Klöckner, president of the Bundestag; followed by being issued a certificate of appointment by the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, upon receipt of which Merz took office.

The election received significant national and international media attention, as a Chancellor candidate failing election in the first round was unprecedented since the Weimar Republic. Observers noted that similar incidents have already taken place at state level and that the Chancellor election was a secret ballot, meaning it was unclear whether dissenters belonged to the CDU/CSU or SPD.

Background

Main article: 2025 German federal election

In November 2024, the Scholz government lost its majority following a dispute between Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the SPD and Christian Lindner, who then served as Minister of Finance and leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), over the balanced budget constitutional amendment. The German constitution allows for a vote of confidence to be initiated by the Chancellor, whose failure led to President Steinmeier announcing a snap election for February 23, 2025. In the lead-up to the election, Merz's campaign embraced populist messaging, particularly with regards to illegal immigration.

In November 2024, the Scholz government lost its majority following a dispute between Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the SPD and Christian Lindner, who then served as Minister of Finance and leader of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), over the balanced budget constitutional amendment. The German constitution allows for a vote of confidence to be initiated by the Chancellor, whose failure led to President Steinmeier announcing a snap election for February 23, 2025. In the lead-up to the election, Merz's campaign embraced populist messaging, particularly with regards to illegal immigration.

Populist messaging about illegal immigration culminated in a January non-binding Bundestag resolution calling upon stricter measures to restrict illegal immigration, including instituting permanent border controls, which opponents noted would violate the Schengen agreement. Ultimately, the resolution was passed with 348 to 344 votes and supported by the CDU, FDP and the far-right AfD – against prior promises by Merz to not cooperate with the AfD. The vote generated immense controversy, being viewed by the center-left as a black day for democracy and prompting mass protests, with attendance being estimated from 100.000 to 200.000 people.

Another key campaign point by Friedrich Merz was budgetary discipline and the balanced budget amendment. In a January 2024 Bundestag speech, Merz categorically opposed reform to the amendment, though in November 2024, he softened his stance and hinted at possible reforms that wouldn't expand the welfare state.

In the election, Merz's CDU received 28.5% of the vote, winning a plurality of seats. However, the result was below the 30% expectation set by CDU/CSU leadership and observers. As the FDP and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) failed to enter the new Bundestag, while the far-right AfD received 20.8% of the vote and the leftist Linke received 8.8% of the vote, the only parliamentary majority that wasn't precluded prior to the election would be a CDU-SPD coalition government.

The unexpectedly strong showing of the Linke meant that in the new Bundestag, any constitutional amendment would need to gather support from either the AfD or the Linke. However, the old Bundestag could pass constitutional amendments with the votes of the CDU/CSU, SPD and Greens alone. On 18 March, 2025, an amendment to reform the balanced budget amendment was passed by the old Bundestag, providing €500 billion in investment programs and exempting defense spending above 1% of GDP from the balanced budget rules.

Significant discontent built up in the course of the coalition negotiations. Laissez-faire economics supporters in the CDU and CSU criticized the balanced budget amendment reform passed during the negotiations, as well as a lack of deregulation in the coalition agreement. The leftist wing of the SPD, in turn, was dissatisfied with centrist SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil sidelining the leftist SPD co-leader Saskia Esken in the Merz cabinet by not nominating her as a minister. In the SPD, there was also a general dissatisfaction with Friedrich Merz in general, owing to his populist history.

Legal procedure

Under the Basic Law of Germany, the President of Germany nominates a candidate for the office of Chancellor when that office falls vacant, which happened on December 16, 2024 after an unsuccessful Vertrauensfrage. Traditionally, such a nomination takes place after an election, with the chancellor candidate of the strongest Fraktion being nominated and voted upon after successful coalition negotiations. These coalition negotiations include the signing of a coalition contract, the designation of ministers and agreement by national party conventions.

If the candidate fails to secure a simple majority in the Bundestag in the first round of voting, a second round of voting lasting 14 days is held immediately afterwards. In the second round, the Bundestag votes on any nominees that garner the support of at least 25% of the Bundestag; there is no limit to the amount of votes the Bundestag can hold in the second round.

If the Bundestag fails to elect a candidate in the second round of voting, a third round of voting is held. A single vote is held, with the candidate receiving a plurality of votes being elected.

Election

Following successful coalition negotiations, the Bundestag convened on 6 May, 2025 to vote on Friedrich Merz's nomination as Chancellor of Germany. The session was opened at 9:00 by Julia Klöckner, President of the Bundestag, and the first round's vote commenced at 9:08.

The first round's vote closed at 9:35, and the results of the vote were announced at 10:05.

Nomination of Friedrich Merz as Chancellor of Germany (Bundestag) Nominated by the President of Germany, first round vote
Ballot →		6 May 2025
Required majority →		316 out of 630
	Yes	512 / 718
	No	206 / 718
	Abstentions	0 / 718
	Absentees • Greens (4) • AfD (3) • FDP (3) • CDU/CSU (2) • BSW (1) • Independent (1) • SPD (1)	15 / 733
Result →		Approved Y
Sources

Of 630 members of the Bundestag, 310 voted in favor of Merz, 307 opposed Merz, 3 members abstained, 1 submitted an invalid ballot, 9 were not present. As Merz gathered less than the 316 required votes, Merz was not elected in the first round, leading to Klöckner suspending the session.