German Parliament to Vote on Friedrich Merz as Chancellor in May

The German Bundestag is scheduled to convene on May 6 to vote on Friedrich Merz as the country’s next Chancellor, succeeding Olaf Scholz, as per The AP.

The announcement, made by Bundestag Speaker Julia Klöckner on Monday, hinges on the final approval of a coalition agreement reached last week by the key parties involved.

Merz, representing the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is poised to lead a coalition with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), and Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats (SPD). This coalition holds a slim majority in the Bundestag, commanding 328 of the 630 seats.

The limited options for coalition formation stem from the political landscape. With no major party willing to cooperate with the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD), which secured the second-largest vote share in February’s election, the CDU/CSU-SPD alliance represents the only viable path to a stable government.

However, Merz’s ascension is not yet guaranteed. Two significant hurdles remain: a membership vote by the Social Democrats on the coalition agreement, commencing on Tuesday and concluding on April 29, and approval by the CDU at a party convention on April 28. The CSU leadership has already signaled its approval of the agreement.

The proposed coalition aims to revitalize the German economy, increase defense spending, adopt a more assertive approach to immigration, and address longstanding modernization needs. Specific policy details have yet to be released.

Despite the overall momentum, internal resistance within the Social Democrats could pose a challenge. The SPD’s youth wing has openly opposed the coalition deal, fueled by the party’s disappointing third-place finish in the February election, their worst postwar result.

SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil expressed confidence on Sunday that the majority of party members will ultimately support the agreement, emphasizing the SPD’s responsibility to “take responsibility for Germany” and contribute to the stability of the nation.