On May 6, Friedrich Merz (CDU) was elected Chancellor by the Bundestag only in the second ballot – he was supported by 325 of 630 deputies. The second effort was essential due to the fact that for the first time in German history, a candidate for head of government did not receive the required absolute majority in the first ballot. The CDU/CSU and SPD coalition has 328 seats, but Merz received only 310 votes, while 18 MPs from the CDU/CSU and SPD factions did not support him (the procedure was secret). This is read, among another things, as
