‘Chaos’: Bundestag Fails to Elect New Chancellor for First Time in History, AfD Call for Fresh National Elections

SUMMARY

For the first time in German history, the Bundestag has failed to elect a chancellor, dealing a major blow to Friedrich Merz and his CDU-SPD coalition. Merz fell six votes short of the required 316-seat majority, receiving only 310 votes—despite theoretically controlling the chamber. Some lawmakers were absent, one ballot was spoiled, and three abstained. Outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz will stay on as caretaker for now. The AfD, now the second-largest party in parliament and excluded from coalition talks, immediately called for new national elections, calling the vote failure “a sign of collapse.” Under Germany’s constitution, another vote can be held quickly, and further votes within two weeks could lower the threshold to a simple majority. But if Merz still fails, President Steinmeier could call snap elections. The failed vote has rattled markets and drawn criticism from across the spectrum, with even the Greens warning that a government unable to govern invites chaos.