Germany's Merz elected chancellor after surprise setback
BERLIN — Germany's conservative leader Friedrich Merz won on Tuesday a nail-biter second vote in parliament to become chancellor after he lost the first round in a stunning early setback.
Merz, 69, scored an absolute majority of 325 against 289 in the secret vote in the lower house of parliament.He takes over at the helm of a coalition between his CDU/CSU alliance and the centre-left Social Democrats [SPD] of the outgoing chancellor, Olaf Scholz.President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was set to appoint him as post-war Germany's 10th chancellor later Tuesday, along with his cabinet, before Merz is due to visit Paris and then Warsaw on Wednesday.His victory caps a long ambition to lead Europe's biggest economy, which was first foiled decades ago by party rival Angela Merkel who went on to serve as chancellor for 16 years.Merz's eventual victory on Tuesday was bittersweet as the initial defeat, the first such outcome in Germany's post-war history, pointed to rumblings of discontent within his uneasy coalition.The unprecedented first-round loss was "a bad start" for Merz and "shows that he cannot fully rely on his two coalition parties, wrote analyst Holger Schmieding of Berenberg Bank."That will sow some doubts about his ability to fully pursue his agenda, damaging his domestic and international authority at least initially."The far-right Alternative for Germany [AfD] especially cheered the heavy political blow to Merz, who has vowed to restore stability in Berlin after half a year of political turmoil.
"Merz should step aside and the way should be cleared for a general election," AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said earlier, calling the first-round result a "good day for Germany".
'World is watching' The first secret vote was expected to be a formality but turned to disaster for Merz when he failed to muster the required absolute majority, falling short by six votes.The early setback for Merz stunned Germany and set off frantic crisis meetings in the Bundestag.Merz has vowed to revive the ailing economy and strengthen Berlin's role in Europe as it responds to rapid change since US President Donald Trump returned to power.Trump has heaped pressure on European allies, complaining they spend too little on NATO and imposing tariffs that are especially painful to export power Germany.CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn had emphasised the urgency of a new government taking office, given the economic and geopolitical turbulence."The whole of Europe, perhaps even the whole world, is watching this second round of voting," Spahn said before the second vote, urging MPs to "be aware of this special responsibility".'Profound upheaval' Merz, who boasts a strong business background but has never held a government leadership post, said on Monday: "We live in times of profound change, of profound upheaval... and of great uncertainty."And that is why we know that it is our historic obligation to lead this coalition to success," he said.To take over as chancellor, Merz needed an absolute majority of 316 votes.But in Tuesday's first vote, he only won the backing of 310 MPs, with 307 voting against him.
Capital Economics analyst Franziska Palmas argued Merz'sinitial setback "does leave Merz severely weakened and suggests that hopes for more stability in German politics may be disappointed".
Page 2
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Jordan Times
15 hours ago
- Jordan Times
King to meet Germany chancellor tomorrow
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah will meet with Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz on Tuesday, during a working visit to Berlin. The visit will focus on ways to strengthen cooperation between Jordan and Germany, in addition to discussions about the most pressing developments in the region, according to a Royal Court statement.
Jordan Times
2 days ago
- Jordan Times
Israel allows aid air dops to Gaza to resume
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories — Israel said Saturday it would allow food to be airdropped to Gaza and designate humanitarian corridors for UN aid convoys, as thousands of Palestinians face the threat of widespread famine. Before Israel announced that the flights would resume, the United Arab Emirates had said it would restart aid drops and Britain said it would work with partners including Jordan to assist them. The decision to apparently loosen up the flow of aid came as the Palestinian civil defence agency said over 50 more Palestinians had been killed in Israeli strikes and shootings Saturday, some as they waited near aid distribution centres. Later Saturday, Israel troops boarded a boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition as it attempted to approach Gaza from the sea, in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade. "The humanitarian airdrop operation will be conducted in coordination with international aid organisations and the [Israeli army], led by COGAT and the IAF," the Israeli statement said, referring to the civilian affairs unit for Palestinian territories and the air force. "In addition, it was decided that designated humanitarian corridors would be established to enable the safe movement of UN convoys delivering food and medicine to the population," the statement said. The statement said this would improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza and disprove "the false claim of deliberate starvation in the Gaza Strip". Humanitarian chiefs are deeply sceptical that airdrops can deliver enough food to tackle the deepening hunger crisis facing Gaza's more than two million inhabitants. They are instead demanding that Israel allow more overland convoys. But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer backed the idea, vowing to work with Jordan to restart airdrops. An Israeli official had told AFP on Friday that airdrops in Gaza would resume soon and that they would be conducted by the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Starmer's office said that in a call with his French and German counterparts, the "prime minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to airdrop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance". The United Arab Emirates said it would resume airdrops "immediately". "The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a critical and unprecedented level," Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a post on X. "Air drops are resuming once more, immediately." 'Starving civilians' A number of Western and Arab governments carried out air drops in Gaza in 2024, when aid deliveries by land also faced Israeli restrictions, but many in the humanitarian community consider them ineffective. "Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation," said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. "They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians." Israel imposed a total blockade on the entry of aid into Gaza on March 2 after talks to extend a ceasefire in the over 21-month-old conflict broke down. In late May, it began letting a trickle of aid enter. Israel's military insists it does not limit the number of trucks going into the Gaza Strip, and alleges that UN agencies and relief groups are not collecting the aid once it is inside the territory. But humanitarian organisations accuse the Israeli army of imposing excessive restrictions, while tightly controlling road access within Gaza. A separate aid operation is under way through the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, but it has faced fierce international criticism after Israeli fire killed hundreds of Palestinians near distribution points. Naval blockade On Saturday evening, the live feed on the Handala, an aid boat belonging to pro-Palestinian activist group Freedom Flotilla , showed Israeli troops boarding the vessel. The soldiers moved in as the boat approached Gaza and three video livefeeds of the scene broadcasting online were cut minutes later. Israeli forces last month intercepted and boarded another boat run by the same group, the Madleen. Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed over 50 people on Saturday, including 14 killed in separate incidents near aid distribution centres. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency and other parties. The Israeli campaign has killed 59,733 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Jordan News
5 days ago
- Jordan News
EU Activates Anti-Coercion Tool as Retaliatory Measures Against Trump Tariffs Loom - Jordan News
EU Activates Anti-Coercion Tool as Retaliatory Measures Against Trump Tariffs Loom Germany and France are rallying fellow EU member states to support a firm response to U.S. tariffs unless Washington backs down, as the bloc takes a tougher stance ahead of the August 1 deadline for reaching a trade agreement. اضافة اعلان According to sources cited by the Financial Times, Berlin—once a key negotiator with the Trump administration to reduce trade barriers—now seeks to issue a strong retaliatory threat. Berlin has joined forces with Paris, which has long advocated gaining leverage over Trump by targeting American companies with retaliatory tariffs. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is hosting French President Emmanuel Macron in Berlin today, Wednesday. French Industry Minister Marc Veracci, speaking in Berlin on Monday before meeting with his German counterpart Katharina Reiche, stated: 'We need to change our negotiation strategy. We must be ready to respond and consider any option that could alter the course of talks.' Senior European Commission officials, who lead the bloc's trade policy, met with ambassadors of EU member states to discuss deploying the so-called "anti-coercion instrument"—a trade 'bazooka' that has never been used before. This tool would allow Brussels to take actions such as banning U.S. companies from public tenders, suspending intellectual property protections, and restricting imports and exports. While Germany and France support activating the mechanism, some member states remain wary of provoking a severe response from Trump. One EU diplomat noted a 'silent majority' opposing the move, while another warned: 'It would be nuclear. The situation is extremely volatile, and it's unclear whether member states truly support it.' The Commission can only proceed if a qualified majority of member states back the move. However, Trump's recent message threatening 30% "reciprocal" tariffs starting August 1 has intensified opposition. Originally, the tariffs were expected to rise to 20%, up from the current 10%. One official said the letter 'exacerbated tensions among member states.' Another added that Germany had 'done a 180-degree turn in just a few days,' and that many countries now 'want something tangible on the table to gain leverage.' Importantly, triggering the anti-coercion tool would only launch an investigation, not immediate actions. If the Commission determines the U.S. is coercing the EU, it could recommend retaliatory steps subject to member-state approval. The Financial Times also reported last Friday that Trump rejected a proposed framework agreement to freeze the current 10% tariff rate, favoring instead a permanent tariff of at least 15%. The EU also seeks exemptions from the 25% sectoral tax on cars and auto parts and 50% duties on steel and aluminum. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Peasant told Fox News on Tuesday: 'August 1 is a hard deadline,' warning that tariffs will shift to a full 'reciprocal' level afterward. Diplomats noted that in such a case, the EU would likely trigger its already-approved tariff package targeting $21 billion (€21B) in U.S. imports—including chicken and jeans—on August 6. Two diplomats added that a second wave of retaliatory tariffs—on $72 billion (€72B) worth of American goods, including Boeing aircraft and bourbon—would be voted on by August 6 and could take effect the next day if passed. These measures are considered a last resort. 'Naturally, they would also hurt EU companies,' one diplomat said. 'Nobody wants to see a transatlantic trade spiral.' The Commission is also drafting a third list of retaliatory actions targeting U.S. services, which may include digital services taxes and levies on online advertising revenues, according to a source familiar with the latest proposal. European Commission trade spokesperson Olof Gill stated that no countermeasures will be implemented before August 1, emphasizing: 'Until then, our focus will remain on negotiations—that's our current priority.'
