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New chancellor, old constraints: Germany’s Friedrich Merz will have a hard time freeing the country from its self-imposed shackles

Friedrich Merz received a rude shock on the morning of May 6, 2025, as he prepared to lose the “in-waiting” qualifier from his title as German chancellor.

The Conversation

Germany to comply with Trump's 5% defence spending target, foreign minister suggests

US President Donald Trump has long demanded that NATO partners spend more on defence. Germany now wants to comply.

Euronews

Brussels, my love? Merz' term in Germany started with a bang - can he recover?

In this edition of our weekly talk show, panelists discuss the new coalition government in Germany, the presidential election in Romania and the aftermath of the power outage in southwestern Europe.

Euronews

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Friedrich Merz arrives as a humbled new German chancellor – but that may not be the worst way to start

Defeat in the first round of a confirmation vote was humiliating. It could be the lesson Merz needed to change his leadership style, says Jörg Lau of Die Zeit

The Guardian - UK

Merz-Macron meeting: Germany and France to set up 'joint defence and security council'

The meeting between the two leaders was an attempt to revive the stalled 'Franco-German motor' before Germany's new chancellor heads to Poland.

Euronews

Merz's stumble jeopardises hopes of rebooting sluggish German economy

Friedrich Merz's failure to secure the title of chancellor in the first round of voting has created doubt over the future effectiveness of his government.

Euronews

Merz presents united European front in first overseas trip as German chancellor

Merz's trips come the day after his historic defeat in the first round of voting in the German parliament, the Bundestag.

Euronews

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Friedrich Merz elected as German chancellor - as it happened

Euronews takes a look through the top 10 photos of the day, during which CDU leader Friedrich Merz both lost and then won enough votes to be elected as German chancellor.

Euronews

The Guardian view on Germany’s political uncertainty: Merz must recover from this rocky start

Editorial: The initial failure of coalition members to back the new chancellor in sufficient numbers was a bad beginning at a treacherous moment for the nation

The Guardian - UK

Germany’s Merz confirmed as chancellor in second parliamentary vote after shock first-round defeat

New leader suffered humiliating loss in the first round, falling six votes short of an absolute majority

The Independent UK

What held up Friedrich Merz’s confirmation as chancellor and what’s next for Germany?

The CDU/CSU leader suffered an embarrassing surprise defeat in a first vote that was expected to be a formality

The Guardian - UK

Why Friedrich Merz’s voting debacle could upset his ambitious plans for the EU

The voting fiasco has shaken the beginning of a leadership that was supposed to signal a new era of stability

The Independent UK

German stocks drop as Merz stumbles in historic Bundestag defeat

German stocks fell and bund yields rose after Friedrich Merz failed to secure a Bundestag majority, marking a historic political setback. The DAX dropped 1.5%, with industrial stocks hit amid rising uncertainty over Germany’s economy.

Euronews

Bundestag elects CDU's Friedrich Merz as new German chancellor in repeat vote

The CDU party leader was confirmed as Germany's chancellor on Tuesday in a second vote after a tumultuous first round saw him fall six votes short.

Euronews

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The Guardian - UK

German parliament elects Merz as chancellor in second round of voting

New leader secures 325 votes after humiliating loss in first round inflicted by 18 unnamed coalition rebels

Euronews

German lawmakers to vote on whether to approve Merz as chancellor

Merz must secure 316 votes in the 630-seat strong lower chamber of German parliament in order to become chancellor.

International Business Times

Germany's Merz To Launch New Govt In Times Of Trump Turbulence

Germany's conservative leader Friedrich Merz is set to be sworn in as chancellor on Tuesday with a mission to revive the ailing economy and boost the diplomatic standing of the EU's most populous country.

The Guardian - UK

German spy agency labels AfD as ‘confirmed rightwing extremist’ force

Upgrade from ‘suspected’ threat will mean greater surveillance of party that came second in last election

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The Guardian - UK

‘It’s in our DNA to be anti-fascist’: Germany’s leftwing ‘TikTok queen’ Heidi Reichinnek

A powerful speech in the Bundestag made her famous and has inspired young voters to fight back against the far right

Euronews

Germany's incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz announces cabinet posts

Seven ministries will go to the CDU, seven to the SPD and three to the CSU. It is now clear who the CDU and CSU want to send to the cabinet as ministers.

The Guardian - UK

Germany will not invite Russia and Belarus to second world war commemoration

Moscow and Minsk ambassadors excluded over concerns they could ‘exploit’ event for anti-Ukraine propaganda

Euronews

German parliament set to elect Merz as chancellor on 6 May

Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU), the Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) last week struck a coalition deal.

Euronews

Setback for Merz: AfD ties with CDU/CSU in poll for first time

Many voters seem disappointed with the coalition negotiations carried out so far by the CDU/CSU. According to the latest Sunday Insa poll from Bild, the CDU/CSU has dropped to 24%, now tying with the AfD. This marks an all-time low for the Conservatives.

Euronews

From Brussels to Berlin: The rules on transparency and ethics for European lawmakers

Recent scandals have put the spotlight on MEPs' transparency, even though they already follow a strict code of conduct, updated in 2023, to prevent conflicts of interest — what's in it, and how does it compare with the norm in other EU countries?

The Guardian - UK

German parliament sits for first time with AfD as second biggest party

Far right party doubles its number of seats, while chancellor-in-waiting, Friedrich Merz, hopes to form government before Easter

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