The German political establishment was dealt a historic blow this week as Friedrich Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), failed to secure enough votes in the Bundestag to become Chancellor. The result shattered decades of political precedent and sent shockwaves through a fragile ruling elite already out of step with growing public anger.
Merz, a longtime proponent of the so-called “firewall” policy against the populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), received just 310 votes in Monday’s secret ballot, falling six short of the 316 required for an absolute majority, the German newspaper Junge Freiheit reported.
BREAKING: Friedrich Merz becomes the first German chancellor candidate to lose a confidence vote in the first round of voting after failing to attain an absolute majority.
Just 310 MPs supported his bid, with him needing 316. As it’s a secret vote, members of his own party… pic.twitter.com/mo5ZCODJxK
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) May 6, 2025
This marks the first time in postwar German history that a candidate failed to secure the chancellorship on the first vote after coalition talks. The CDU and its coalition partner, the increasingly unpopular Social Democratic Party (SPD), control 328 seats, but internal dissent appears to be unraveling the bloc from within.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel swiftly responded, calling the vote “a good day for Germany.” In a statement, she declared: “Merz is the first chancellor candidate of the Federal Republic of Germany to fail in the first round of voting. This clearly shows how weak and unstable the CDU-SPD pact really is—a pact already rejected by the people at the ballot box.”
Weidel continued, “Merz should resign immediately and clear the way for new elections. The old parties have failed. It’s time for a government that puts Germany first.”
“Als AfD sind wir angetreten, dieses Land vom Kopf auf die Füße zu stellen. Wir sind bereit für die Regierungsverantwortung. Und fordern dazu auf, Vernunft walten zu lassen. Herr #Merz sollte sofort abtreten. Es sollte der Weg geöffnet werden für Neuwahlen in unserem Land!” pic.twitter.com/gzZochF5p5
— Alice Weidel (@Alice_Weidel) May 6, 2025
Merz’s defeat comes after months of backroom negotiations with the SPD to form what critics have called a “zombie coalition”—a last-ditch alliance to keep the AfD out of power. Rather than addressing the issues driving AfD’s surge in the polls—mass immigration, economic mismanagement, energy failures, and loss of national sovereignty—Merz doubled down on excluding the AfD, even as his party hemorrhaged public support.
Inside the Bundestag, CDU members were reportedly stunned. German outlet Bild described “visible confusion” among CDU lawmakers, with some pushing for a hasty second vote while others feared another humiliating loss.
Meanwhile, AfD members openly celebrated in the chamber—a reflection of the party’s growing momentum. Recent polls place the AfD ahead of the CDU nationwide, as more Germans lose faith in the traditional parties they see as puppets of Brussels and Berlin’s technocratic elite.
Germany, Forsa poll:
AfD-ESN: 26%
CDU/CSU-EPP: 24% (-1)
SPD-S&D: 14% (-1)
GRÜNE-G/EFA: 12% (+1)
LINKE-LEFT: 10% (+1)
BSW-NI: 4%
FDP-RE: 3% (-1)+/- vs. 15-17 April 2025
Fieldwork: 22-28 April 2025
Sample size: 2,004➤ https://t.co/obOCVirbpF pic.twitter.com/gNY6ynx2oz
— Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) May 1, 2025
Merz, a former asset manager and corporate insider with deep ties to globalist think tanks, has so far refused to acknowledge the message sent by the vote. No official statement was issued by him after the defeat. Journalist Hans-Ulrich Jörges told Welt TV, “Merz is deeply shocked and sitting in a chair somewhere,” underscoring the uncertainty now gripping Germany’s political class.
According to the German Constitution, a second vote must take place within 14 days. If no candidate gains an absolute majority, a third round will allow the Bundestag to elect a chancellor by simple plurality, but the president could also dissolve parliament and trigger a snap election.
The stock market quickly responded to the instability, with Germany’s DAX index falling 2% by midday. Economists tied to the SPD warned of long-term damage to investor confidence, although others argue the real danger is the continuation of policies that have hollowed out the German middle class.
Calls are growing louder for the CDU to abandon its isolationist stance toward the AfD and embrace the party’s role as the primary opposition voice against a ruling elite increasingly seen as disconnected from ordinary Germans.
Political commentator Ben Brechtken wrote on X, “Germany cannot be governed on this basis. The Conservatives must now talk to the AfD — at least to exert pressure.”
Auf dieser Basis kann man Deutschland nicht regieren. Die Union muss jetzt mit der AfD sprechen. Mindestens als Druckmittel.
— Ben Brechtken (@ben_brechtken) May 6, 2025
The AfD has made clear it is ready to lead. “We are prepared to take responsibility,” Weidel stated. “The people have had enough of empty promises and elite self-preservation. It’s time to return power to the citizens.”
With the next vote pending and Merz’s credibility in freefall, the pressure is mounting. The firewall policy—once the sacred pillar of establishment politics—may soon collapse under the weight of its own hypocrisy. And as Germany faces mounting crises at home and abroad, voters may finally have a chance to chart a new course.
One thing is clear: The old order is crumbling. And the AfD is waiting in the wings.
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