Germany plunged into political uncertainty on May 5, Monday after a proposed coalition of liberal and conservative parties failed to secure enough votes to elect a new chancellor, marking a historic first in the nation’s post-World War II era.

In the Bundestag’s first round of voting, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz, backed by the CDU/CSU bloc and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), received 310 votes -six short of the 316 needed for an absolute majority. The failure triggered an immediate adjournment as political leaders retreated for urgent consultations over how to proceed.

The Bundestag session on May 6, initially expected to formalize the beginning of a new government, instead threw Germany’s political future into disarray. According to German media, this was the first time since the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949 that a candidate nominated by a coalition with a numerical majority failed to secure election in the first round.

Merz’s coalition appeared numerically secure heading into the vote. The CDU/CSU bloc and the SPD collectively control 328 seats in the 736-seat Bundestag. Yet the result exposed critical cracks within the alliance, suggesting that dissent exists even within its own ranks. While party leaders had projected unity, a notable number of MPs either abstained, voted against Merz, or possibly lodged protest votes.

The failed vote poses immediate questions about the coalition’s viability. If Merz or an alternative candidate cannot secure a majority in a second ballot to be held within two weeks, a third and final round would require only a simple majority........

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