Friedrich Merz emerged Germany’s 10th chancellor on Tuesday 6 May 2025 after a historic stumble that could bring about complications his efforts to revive the country’s slumping economy, tighten its borders and fix up its military, at a time when Europe is really searching for strong German leadership.
Following ten (10) weeks as Germany’s leader-in-waiting after his party’s triumph in February elections, Mr. Merz initially fell six votes short in the parliamentary vote for chancellor on Tuesday morning — a defeat without precedent in modern Germany’s history.
Germany’s new vice chancellor, Lars Klingbeil of the Social Democrats, said: “It is important that Germany gets a stable government, that we can very quickly start working within reliable structures, and that we work to ensure that this country is strong and well governed.”
Photo: Germany’s new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz. Reuters via news.sky.com
