The Union (CDU/CSU) with its Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz emerged from 2025 German federal election as the strongest faction in the new Bundestag. However, the CDU/CSU needed coalition partners (as is usual in German politics) in order to form a majority government. The only possibility of forming a coalition with just one other party was a coalition with the SPD. Mathematically, a two-party coalition with the AfD, which is generally considered to be on the far right, would also have been possible; however, the CDU/CSU had ruled this out before the election.[5]
Both sides had originally wanted the talks not to commence until 5 March, in view of the 2025 Hamburg state election on 2 March, as well as Carnival (peaking 3 March), which is very popular in some parts of Germany. Subsequently, however, Klingbeil and Merz agreed to an early start in their talks, so exploratory talks between the two parties began in Berlin on 28 February 2025, five days after the election. Merz had set himself the target of forming a coalition by Easter.[8]
From the outset, there were differences of opinion between the CDU and SPD on the reform of the debt brake (which limited the German budget deficit to 0.35% of GDP per year), a possible tax reform, the minimum tax reform, the minimum wage, the citizen's income, immigration, and a new right to vote. On 9 April, both SPD and the CDU/CSU parliamentary groups had reached a coalition agreement to form a new cabinet under Friedrich Merz’s chancellorship. The coalition government would consist of 10 ministers from the CDU/CSU,[a] and 7 from SPD as per the agreement. Additionally, the Vice Chancellor would be nominated by the SPD among 7 of its ministers.[9][10]
Although the CDU/CSU and SPD had 328 of 630 members of the Bundestag, in the first round of voting Merz received only 310 votes, below the required 316. This is the first time this has happened in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany. After the election result was announced, the session was interrupted.[12][13][14][15]
According to Article 63 (3) of the Basic Law, the election of the Chancellor was now in the second phase: within a period of 14 days, i.e. until 20 May, a quarter of the members of the Bundestag could nominate a candidate for election as Federal Chancellor. The number of ballots is not predetermined and is theoretically unlimited. If a candidate is elected in one of these ballots, the President must appoint him or her. If no new Federal Chancellor is elected within this period, a final election must be held "without delay" (unverzüglich) in accordance with Article 63 (4) of the Basic Law. If a candidate achieves the Chancellor majority, he or she must be appointed; if no candidate achieves this majority, the President must decide whether to appoint the candidate with the most votes (relative majority) or dissolve the Bundestag.[14]
Surprised by his failure to win enough votes, Merz's coalition asked the parliament's legal department whether a second vote could be held the same day.[16] During the adjournment of the session, the factions of the Bundestag discussed a second round of voting. All parliamentary groups agreed that the second round of voting should take place on 6 May. The CDU/CSU and SPD parliamentary groups once again put forward Friedrich Merz as their candidate. However, a resolution of the Bundestag was required for this second ballot, as the motion for the election proposal was distributed as a printed matter, which, according to the Bundestag's rules of procedure, may be dealt with no earlier than three days after its submission (Section 78 (5) GOBT). The CDU/CSU, SPD, The Greens and The Left parliamentary groups then tabled a motion that the deadline be shortened, which is permitted under Section 126 of the Standing Rules and needs a two-thirds majority to pass. The shortening of the deadline was approved unanimously. Friedrich Merz was elected in the second round of voting. He was then appointed Chancellor by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and sworn in to the Bundestag. The federal ministers were then appointed by Federal President Steinmeier and then sworn in by the Bundestag.[11][13][14][17]
Berlin, 6 May, 2025 - total votes: 630 - absolute majority: 316[14]
In addition to the chancellor, the cabinet consists of 17 ministers, 16 of whom have their own portfolio and one is Minister for Special Affairs (in order to give cabinet rank to the head of the chancellery). The total number of ministers has thus risen by one in comparison to the Scholz cabinet. The Federal Ministry for Digital and State Modernisation has been newly created as a split from the transport ministry and parts of portfolio of the ministry for the interior and of the ministry for economic affairs. Other portfolio reshuffles includes the re-integration of climate action back into the ministry for the environment; it had been merged with economic affairs under outgoing minister Robert Habeck. The responsibility for education is being merged with the portfolio of family, seniors, women and youth affairs, while the remaining ministry for research has been given the added designations of technology and astronautics.
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