Friedrich Merz wins on second ballot to become Germany's chancellor: Report

Parliament elected German conservative leader Friedrich Merz as chancellor in a second round of voting on Tuesday after his coalition with the center-left Social Democrats suffered an unexpected defeat in the initial attempt.

The conservative leader who became Germany's 10th Chancellor was the first post-war candidate to not win on the initial ballot, necessitating a second round of voting in Parliament, AP reported on Tuesday. In the second ballot, Merz received 325 votes, falling short of the required majority of 316 out of 630 votes. During the first round, he only garnered 310 votes while his coalition held 328.

Due to the secret ballot process, it was not immediately apparent who may have defected from his coalition.

The coalition set to take power is led by Merz's party, the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). They are also joined by the center-left Social Democrats led by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was defeated in the national election in February.

His CDU/CSU alliance, which emerged victorious in February's federal election, subsequently formed a coalition with the Social Democrats. Their joint agenda includes plans to stimulate economic growth through measures such as corporate tax cuts and lower energy costs. Additionally, the alliance has committed to providing strong support to Ukraine and increasing military spending.

Merz, aged 69, initially entered politics as a European lawmaker in 1989. This marks his maiden government appointment, presenting an opportunity to showcase his leadership skills in the political executive.

In the upcoming cabinet, only Defence Minister Boris Pistorius will remain from the previous administration. The rest of Merz's cabinet comprises fresh appointees, several of whom bring valuable private-sector experience to their roles.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was among the first global leaders to offer formal congratulations for Merz.

In a social media update, he said he hopes to see “more German leadership in European and transatlantic affairs.”

"I sincerely congratulate @_FriedrichMerz on his election as Germany’s new Federal Chancellor. Ukraine is deeply grateful for the support of Germany and its people. Your helping hand has saved thousands and thousands of Ukrainian lives. We sincerely hope that Germany will grow even stronger and that we’ll see more German leadership in European and transatlantic affairs. This is especially important with the future of Europe at stake — and it will depend on our unity. Wishing you every success, Mr Chancellor, on the road ahead," Zelenskyy wrote.