Friedrich Merz was elected Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, following a second-round parliamentary vote.
This unprecedented scenario in German history highlights the ongoing divisions within the Bundestag. Despite his party’s victory in the February 23 federal elections, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader failed to secure an absolute majority in the first round.
A conservative figure in German politics, Merz has pledged to make European independence from the United States the cornerstone of his foreign policy. He reaffirmed this stance during his election night remarks on German television: “My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible, so that we can progressively achieve real autonomy from the United States.”
The statement, surprising even to him, was delivered with a note of self-awareness: “I never imagined I would have to say this on live television.” He attributed his position to recent shifts in Washington, pointing specifically to comments made by Donald Trump the previous week.
The U.S. president had downplayed Russia’s responsibility in the war in Ukraine. “It is now clear that this American administration, or at least part of it, shows a deep indifference to Europe’s fate,” Merz lamented.
Domestically, the new chancellor faces a series of daunting economic challenges, including stagnating growth and a weakened industrial base. It’s a major test for the CDU veteran, now officially at the helm.