Friedrich Merz was elected Chancellor of Germany in the second round of voting, a historic precedent after the collapse of the previous coalition

Friedrich Merz won 325 votes in the Bundestag to become chancellor after a second round of elections, an unprecedented event in German history. It weakens his position and that of the CDU/CSU coalition government with the SPD amid a political crisis. The new cabinet includes key names such as Johann Wadephul at foreign affairs and Boris Pistorius at defense. The coalition agreement foresees EU reform and continued support for Ukraine, while Germany pursues a policy of "de-risking" China.