What happened in Germany?

A historic misstep in the Bundestag weakened Chancellor Merz’s government before it even took office. The failed vote fuels right-wing momentum and raises serious doubts about Germany’s stability at home and abroad.

Background

After the federal elections in February, Germany’s strongest political force—the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) under Friedrich Merz—embarked on forming a new government. To secure the necessary parliamentary majority, the CDU entered into coalition negotiations with the Social Democratic Party (SPD). These negotiations concluded successfully in April, paving the way for a coalition government between CDU/CSU and SPD. Yesterday was meant to be the final formal step: the official election of Friedrich Merz as chancellor in the Bundestag, thereby confirming the new government.

What happened yesterday?

In a dramatic and historic twist, Friedrich Merz failed to secure the necessary majority in the first vote. Although the coalition between CDU/CSU and SPD held a sufficient number of seats to ensure an easy confirmation, Merz fell 18 votes short of the required 316. This unprecedented event marks the first time in contemporary German history that a designated chancellor has failed to receive a majority vote in parliament.

Only later in the afternoon did Merz and his cabinet succeed in a second vote, allowing them to take office officially. However, the damage—political and symbolic—was already done.

Consequences

Strengthening the Right-Wing The loudest and most aggressive reactions to the failed vote came from the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), a party confirmed as right-wing extremist by the German domestic intelligence services. The AfD wasted no time, labeling Merz a " election fraud" (an accusation without any legal or factual basis) and calling for new elections (the very last step to take if a chancellor doesn’t receive the necessary majority in a two-week time span with endless election rounds). For the AfD, the failed vote was a golden opportunity—another step up the staircase of popularity among anti-establishment voters and those disillusioned with the mainstream parties.

A Signal of Instability The inability of the newly formed government to even unite behind its own chancellor on day one sends a troubling signal. What should have been a routine formality turned into a public display of internal dissent. Some members of the coalition apparently chose to rebel, prioritizing their personal dissatisfaction with Merz over party unity, government credibility, and national responsibility. In times of mounting global crises—war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, increasingly authoritarian USA, and geopolitical pressure from all sides—Germany needs a strong, stable, and decisive government. Instead, the new coalition stumbled at the starting line.

Lacking Credibility Internationally International reactions were swift. Observers from both the United States and Russia reportedly interpreted the failed vote as a sign of Merz’s weakness. This is a troubling start for a government that will have to lead Europe’s largest economy and serve as a key pillar of Western democracy. When strength, unity, and clarity are most needed, the coalition instead projected doubt and fragility, not just domestically, but on the world stage.

What’s Next?

Friedrich Merz and his government now face an uphill battle to prove their credibility and stability. The failed vote will cast a long shadow, and any further missteps will only embolden the AfD and other extremist forces waiting to exploit democratic dysfunction. To counteract this, the coalition must deliver—quickly and convincingly—on its promises. The stakes are high: Germany, Europe, and the Western world cannot afford a weak or indecisive German government.

What Germany needs now is exactly what this coalition has yet to demonstrate: credibility, unity, and ambitious action.