Merz Failed in First Vote to Become Germany’s Chancellor. What Happens Next?

Friedrich Merz was poised to be sworn in as Germany’s 10th chancellor on Tuesday morning, but he failed to win enough votes in parliament, which is usually merely a symbolic step. In a secret ballot, he was just six votes short of a 316-vote majority.

Parliament now has two weeks to try to rally support to make Mr. Merz or another candidate chancellor in a second vote. There is no limit on the number of votes that can take place. It was not immediately clear whether lawmakers would attempt another vote on Tuesday or wait.

If Mr. Merz fails to secure a majority in a subsequent votes, the process enters a third phase when lawmakers can select a new chancellor using relative majority. This means that more than one candidate would be put forward and the one with the most votes, not necessarily a majority, would win. Since Mr. Merz’s Christian Democrats have the most seats, he, or someone else in that party, would likely win.

But if a chancellor is elected using only a relative majority, Germany’s president, who usually plays a symbolic role, could decide to call for new elections.

This was the first time a would-be chancellor failed to secure a majority in Parliament in the 76 years of the German republic, and the transfer of power is now paused. Ministers cannot be named or sworn in, meaning that Olaf Scholz and his cabinet will remain in a caretaker government until things are resolved.

For Mr. Merz, even if he is eventually voted in, the reputational damage to him could be severe.