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May 6, 2025 4:56 PM - Connect Newsroom

Friedrich Merz elected as Germany's new chancellor

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This was the first time in German history that a candidate for the position of chancellor had failed to secure a majority in the first round.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union, has been elected as Germany's new chancellor in the second round of voting in parliament. In the first round of voting, he missed the 316 votes needed to win by 6 votes.

This was the first time in German history that a candidate for the position of chancellor had failed to secure a majority in the first round. A total of 325 MPs voted in favor of Merz in the second round of voting in parliament, which allowed him to cross the required 316.

With the election of 69-year-old Friedrich Merz as Germany's new chancellor, the threat of re-election has been averted.

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