Merz failed in the first vote to become the Chancellor of Germany. What happens afterwards?

Friedrich Merz was ready to be sworn in on Tuesday morning as the 10th Chancellor of Germany, but he was unable to win enough voices in parliament, which is usually only a symbolic step. In a secret mood, he was only six voices short of a majority of 316 votes.

Parliament now has two weeks to try to collect support to make Mr. Merz or another candidate Chancellor in a second mood. There is no limit for the number of votes that can take place. It was not immediately clear whether the legislators would try or wait another voice on Tuesday.

If Mr. Merz fails to secure a majority in a subsequent voices, the process will be in a third phase when the legislators can select a new Chancellor using the relative majority. This means that more than one candidate would be brought forward and the one with the most votes, not necessarily a majority, would win. Because the Christian Democrats of Mr. Merz have the most seats, he or anyone else would probably win in that party.

But if a Chancellor is chosen with only a relative majority, the German president, who usually plays a symbolic role, can decide to ask for new elections.

This was the first time that a potential Chancellor could not protect a majority in parliament in the 76 years of the German Republic, and the transfer of power is now being paused. Ministers cannot be mentioned or sworn in, which means that Olaf Scholz and his cabinet will remain in a caretaker’s government until things are solved.

For Mr Merz, even if he is eventually voted, the reputation damage to him can be serious.