Friedrich Merz is the tenth Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier presented the CDU chairman after the election by the Bundestag in Bellevue Castle, which he is legally in office. The 69-year-old had 325 yes votes in a secret vote and thus 9 more than the necessary majority of 316. The coalition factions CDU/CSU and SPD together have 328 seats in parliament.
First appointment, then swearing -in
In this way, Germany has a new head of government for the day exactly half a year after the breakdown of the traffic light coalition. Merz had only the first chancellor to get a majority in the Bundestag in the second attempt. In the first ballot, he surprisingly lacked six votes.
Entire cabinet is still to be sworn in today
Now Merz is going back to the Bundestag and speaks the oath of office there. The appointment and swearing -in of the 17 Federal Minister should still take place today.
Ten men and eight women belong to the cabinet. CDU and SPD each represent seven ministers, the CSU three. Vice -Chancellor and thus the second most powerful man in the cabinet to Merz is the future finance minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD).