Friedrich Merz is officially the tenth Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.
On Tuesday afternoon, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier presented Friedrich Merz with the appointment certificate at Schloss Bellevue, making him officially in office. The head of state extended his “smallly delayed but heartfelt” congratulations to the new government leader.
Merz received 325 votes in the second ballot of the Bundestag, 289 members of parliament voted against him and one abstained. Three votes were invalid and twelve votes were not given. The future coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD has a total of 328 members of parliament.
In the first ballot, Merz had only received 310 votes. Never before has a designated Chancellor failed to win in the first ballot of the Bundestag after successful coalition negotiations following a Bundestag election.