Merz fails to be elected German chancellor

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz failed to secure a parliamentary majority to be elected chancellor on Tuesday, marking an unexpected setback for his new coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD).

Merz, 69, who led the CDU/CSU to victory in February's federal election, received only 310 votes in the Bundestag, six short of the required majority of 316 votes, Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner announced.

After the vote, Kloeckner adjourned the parliamentary session to give the groups the opportunity to consult on next steps.

The German parliament now has 14 days to elect Merz or another candidate with an absolute majority, with a possible vote that could take place again on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

Although the Conservatives won the election with 28.5 percent of the vote, they needed a partner to form a majority government.

On Monday, they signed a coalition agreement with the SPD, which had come out with the worst result in its post-World War II history, just 16.4 percent./ REL

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