Misstep and correction in Germany
We might never know the names of the 18 members of the Bundestag who shook Germany and all of Europe when they deprived Friedrich Merz of the chancellorship in the first vote on Tuesday. This defeat was unexpected, because just a few days earlier the leader of the center-right CDU/CSU had reached an agreement with the Social Democrats (SPD) to form a coalition government with a majority of seats in the parliament. However, the government and opposition parties sprang into action and reached an agreement to amend the parliamentary procedure so that a second vote could be held on the same day. Merz’s election as chancellor was ratified and no one appears keen to dig into the issue any further. In the end, the swift correction and the possible reasons for the initial fiasco might signal a positive start to Merz’s tenure.
Many believe that some members of the CDU/CSU wanted to express displeasure at the naming of many new faces in the government, as their leader did not choose on the basis of party seniority nor the need to represent all electoral regions. If we add the conservative MPs who may have been annoyed by Merz’s decision to release the “debt brake,” then we might conclude that he annoyed his colleagues for the right reasons – those which will allow Germany to strengthen its defense, its economy, its infrastructure and its role as a leading power of the European Union. On the SPD side, it is believed that some MPs wished to express anger at the deal with Merz. In any case, the unnamed rebels did not want to cause irreparable damage to the coalition nor provoke general instability. The Greens and the Left did not want it either, so they quickly agreed to the second round of voting which ratified Merz as chancellor.
The events of May 6 showed that even the MPs who wanted to express their personal displeasure realized the collective danger that they provoked – the further empowering of the extremist, right-wing AfD, the only party which wants new elections. And so, the process had a positive result. The conclusion should be clear for all EU member-states: They need to see that despite their differences, all face very serious common dangers, and they need to agree on important issues without delay.
