Germany/ Chancellor election likely on May 6

2025-04-12 09:00:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

CDU Chairman Friedrich Merz is to be elected as the new Chancellor on May 6. This is reported by several news agencies, citing party sources. The Tagesspiegel newspaper had also previously mentioned this date. According to these reports, the relevant preparations in the Bundestag have already begun.

The approval of the coalition agreement by the SPD and CDU is a prerequisite for the election of the chancellor. The CDU will do this at a party congress, while the SPD will do so through a vote of party members. The CSU (the CDU's sister party) forums approved the coalition agreement on Thursday (10.04.2025). According to the CDU's statutes, a small party congress must decide on the planned coalition, which is likely to take place on 28 April. The SPD members will vote on 30 April. The Tagesspiegel newspaper also reports that parliamentary group meetings are scheduled for 5 May. The election of the chancellor should be immediately followed by the appointment of the new members of the government by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the swearing-in of the cabinet before the Bundestag.

Fifth broad-based coalition government

The Chancellor is elected by the members of the Bundestag, which - despite the session on May 8th to mark the anniversary of the end of the war 80 years ago - regularly begins its plenary sessions on May 12th. A special session is scheduled for May 6th to elect the Chancellor. With the election of Friedrich Merz as Chancellor, Germany will have a broad-based coalition government between the CDU, CSU and SPD parties for the fifth time since 1949. The parties agreed on a coalition agreement a few days ago after lengthy discussions.

CDU declares "immediate program"

After the CDU cabinet has been sworn in with its new government, work will begin immediately before the Bundestag recess to address important issues. Christian Democrat Secretary General Carsten Linnemann has announced an "immediate program" for this. The goal is to "have a new spirit in Germany even during the summer recess," Linnemann said in the "Maybrit Illner" program on German public broadcaster ZDF.

The acting leader of the CDU parliamentary group, Thorsten Frei, has called for immediate flights to return rejected asylum seekers to Afghanistan and Syria. The SPD will also not waste time. Acting Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who will retain his post in the new government, plans to introduce a new military service this year./ DW