Friedrich Merz Chancellor of Germany in Second Approach

osw.waw.pl 2 months ago

Analysis

2025-05-07

Friedrich Merz Chancellor of Germany in Second Approach

Kamil Frymark

On May 6, Friedrich Merz (CDU) was elected by the Bundestag as Chancellor only in the second vote – he was supported by 325 of the 630 deputies. The second approach proved essential due to the fact that for the first time in German past the candidate for head of government did not get the required absolute majority in the first vote. The CDU/CSU and SPD coalition has 328 mandates, but only 310 MPs were in favour of Merze, and 18 MPs from the CDU/CSU and SPD faction did not support him (the procedure was secret). This is read, among others, as an expression of dissatisfaction of parts of the delegates from the results of coalition negotiations and the staffing of the cabinet. In order to hold a re-vote on the same day, the agenda had to be amended, requiring the consent of 2 thirds of their participants. The CDU/CSU and the SPD agreed on the substance with the Greens and the Left to avoid cooperation with AfD. In the end, all the factions advocated it unanimously.

Approval of the fresh chancellor only in the second circular is Merz's defeat and the signal of weakening his cabinet. This is besides a informing that during governments it will gotta take into account not only strong opposition from the AfD but besides skeptics within the coalition's ranks.

Comment

The fresh government begins to work weakened. The CDU/CSU–SPD coalition will face strong opposition in the Bundestag and opponents in its own ranks. This will make it hard to implement any of the provisions of the coalition agreement – especially those controversial, specified as migration or social policy. In addition, the request for a quick, re-vote forced on chadeks, who since 2018 have not formally cooperated with Lewica, a departure from its erstwhile rule. However, Merz could not afford to hold and further weaken his position. Each day would reenforce doubts about its ability to keep majority and effective governance.
Merz's failure to win the majority in the first vote is simply a informing signal for leaders of the future coalition. specified a course of events resulted from the dissatisfaction of parts of the MPs both CDU/CSU and SPD. Chadekom did not like the result of the negotiations with the SPD – among others, that despite the election defeat it received 7 ministerial teks, which is the same as the CDU. opposition besides sparked the way the fresh Chancellor acted, who left out the representatives of the Lands in the ministry and did not consult them. This has been criticised by the debt brake reform.Impropriety on loan. Germany releases the debt brake), voted inactive in the erstwhile term, but after the election. any CDU/CSU politicians criticised its shape. In the case of the SPD, dissatisfaction concerned, among others, the division of positions which fell into social democracy, and the dominant function of people from Lars Klingbeil's surroundings – the future vice Chancellor and head of the finance department. Among the erstwhile ministers of the organization and their supporters, there was disappointment in the deficiency of compensation for the lost resorts.
The fresh government will be determined to implement its programme, in peculiar points on reducing illegal migration and boosting the economy. However, the CDU/CSU and SPD coalition agreement does not announce a major change of course, but alternatively adapts Germany's actions to current interior and global challenges (see besides Correction of course. CDU/CSU-SPD Coalition Agreement). The fulfilment of coalition assumptions will depend mostly on the personality and influence of individual ministers. Both parties have partially put on non-political figures, frequently with management or expert experience. In the case of SPD, the candidates of the younger generation dominate. This is to give the impression of a fresh beginning and to item the substantive nature of the future cabinet (see Annex).
Coalition cooperation between the charity and social democrats is expected to be difficult. This is evidenced not only by the difficulty of choosing the Chancellor, but besides by the expanding force on the CDU/CSU from the AfD and the SPD from the Left and the Green. The deficiency of fast improvement in the economical situation may further exacerbate it. An additional origin of tension will be next year's elections in the east Lands – Saxony-Anhalt (run by the CDU) and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (under the SPD). In both cases, polls indicate a possible AfD victory.