A Real-Time Witness: Watched as Germany elected Chancellor Friedrich Merz today
- 1 Min
Monitor the real-time Chancellor race of Friedrich Merz as it unfolds - Experience the real-time broadcast of Friedrich Merz's election as Chancellor unfold.
Today marks the historic moment when the new Bundestag selected a new Chancellor at 9:00 AM. A majority of CDU/CSU and SPD members are anticipated to vote for Friedrich Merz. To seize the position of the tenth Chief Executive of the Federal Republic of Germany, Merz requires 316 votes for what is called an "absolute majority" or "Chancellor majority." Follow along with our live coverage in stern blog as the action unfolds in the Bundestag and at Schloss Bellevue.
FUN FACT: The 2025 German federal election already took place on 23 February 2025, with Friedrich Merz's CDU/CSU winning 28.5% of the vote[4]. Merz must now secure a majority vote within the Bundestag (at least 316 of 630 seats) to claim the role. The CDU/CSU has formed a grand coalition with the SPD, and Merz will attempt to garner the chancellorship on 6 May 2025[5].
Key details:- Vote Threshold: A majority of the valid votes cast by members during the chancellor election process, not tied to public vote percentages[^1].- Coalition Setup: The CDU/CSU-SPD coalition agreement ensures Merz receives sufficient parliamentary support, assuming all coalition members cast their votes in his favor[5].
[^1]: Chancellor elections in Germany require a majority of Bundestag members (Basic Law Article 63), although the exact seat count needed depends on the final composition post-23 February election. The provided sources do not specify the coalition’s exact seat total, but the alliance is poised to amass the necessary majority[4][5].
Upcoming event: The coalition agreement will be signed on 5 May 2025, followed by Merz’s parliamentary confirmation vote on the following day[5].
- The CDU/CSU member, Friedrich Merz, aims to secure 316 votes from the Bundestag to become the tenth Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.
- On 6 May 2025, Friedrich Merz will attempt to garner the chancellorship after forming a grand coalition with the SPD.
- The key detail for Merz's chancellorship is achieving a majority vote (316 of 630 seats) within the Bundestag, not tied to public vote percentages from the 2025 German federal election that already took place on 23 February 2025.
- The coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and SPD ensures Merz will receive sufficient parliamentary support for his chancellorship, assuming all coalition members vote in his favor.
