The leader of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, Friedrich Merz, has taken the oath of office and officially become the tenth Chancellor of Germany.
Merz took the oath of office in the Great Hall of the Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the German Federal President, Spiegel reports.
During the short ceremony, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier joked that Merz arrived “a little” late”—referring to the approval of his candidacy on the second attempt.
Finally, he handed Merz a document with the words: “Mr. Chancellor, on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany, I hereby appoint Mr. Friedrich Merz as Chancellor.”
In the near future, members of Merz’s government will also be sworn in.
Shortly before that, 325 members of the Bundestag of the new convocation supported the appointment of the CDU leader as chancellor.
This happened during a second vote after the first attempt failed on the morning of May 6, which was unprecedented.
And now Chancellor Merz faces significant challenges. The new German government has taken office while facing a weakened economy, rising far-right support, the US trade war, President Donald Trump’s disruptive behavior that undermines the world order, an increasingly hostile Russia, and the ongoing fourth year of full-scale war in Ukraine.
The winner of the February elections, Friedrich Merz’s party, is losing support even before the government begins its work. Against the backdrop of all these circumstances, Merz plans to strengthen Germany’s geopolitical weight and its leadership in Europe, which will undoubtedly be a difficult task.
The far-right Alternative for Germany will be tracking the smallest flaws in the government’s work, so he will have to make a giant effort not only to avoid increasing the disappointment of German voters but also to make them feel positive changes and restore their lost trust in the parties of the democratic center.
