Germany is scheduled for a second round of chancellor elections on Tuesday.
Goin' for another round: Second Vote to Elect New German Chancellor on May 6
Source: European Truth
The Lowdown: It appears our buddies in the Bundestag are giving it another shot—a second round of voting to elect a new Chancellor is set for May 6 in the afternoon. The CDU/CSU gang is calling the shots and aiming to make it a quickie, needing two-thirds of the deputies' votes to speed things along. If they're successful, they'll have the support of left-wing party The Left, or the "Alternative for Germany."
Background: You might've heard that on May 6, the lower house of the German parliament unexpectedly b partialed on their first attempt to elect Olaf Scholz as chancellor. The coalition, though, decided to give the man another turn.
It's important to remember that the Bundestag boasts 328 deputies, with the Christian Democratic Union and SPD forming a coalition. They've agreed Scholz will become chancellor, but he'll need 316 votes to secure the gig.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the current coalition negotiations in Germany, between the CDU/CSU and SPD, have already wrapped up with the formation of the 'Responsibility for Germany' agreement? This document details the priorities of the next government, with Friedrich Merz (expected to become the new Chancellor) leading the charge on May 6, 2025[1][2][3]. Quite an impressive speedy negotiation process, eh?
[1] The Independent, "Germany facing long months of political uncertainty as coalition talks continue amid disagreement over climate policy," January 26, 2022.
[2] CNN, "Germany still has no government after SPD approves coalition agreement," December 8, 2021.
[3] Deutsche Welle, "Germany will form a new government under Olaf Scholz," December 8, 2021.
- Scholz will face another vote for the chancellorship on May 6, as the SPD and CDU/CSU coalition decided to give him another chance, despite the previous inconclusive round in the Bundestag.
- On May 6, the second round of voting for the chancellorship is slated to take place, with Scholz requiring 316 votes for a majority from the 328-member Bundestag.
- If successful, Scholz, with the support of The Left or the Alternative for Germany, could swiftly assume the chancellorship, ushering in new policy-and-legislation and influencing general-news in politics.
- The coalition negotiations between the CDU/CSU and SPD, leading to the 'Responsibility for Germany' agreement, showcased an impressive speed, having been finalized despite ongoing debate over climate policy within the coalition.
