Merz falls short of majority

BERLIN, May 06 (BBC): Germany's conservative leader has unexpectedly fallen short of a majority in a parliament vote to become chancellor.

Friedrich Merz needed 316 votes in the 630-seat Bundestag but only secured 310, in a significant blow to the Christian Democrat leader, two and a half months after winning Germany's federal elections.

His coalition with the centre left has enough seats in parliament but it appears 18 MPs who had been expected to back him dissented. Merz's failure in the first vote is seen as unprecedented in modern German history.

The Bundestag will now have another 14 days to choose either Merz or another candidate as chancellor with more than half its members.

Under Germany's constitution, there is no limit to how many votes can be held, but if no absolute majority is reached within that period then a candidate can be elected by a simple majority.

No further votes were expected immediately, and there was a prevailing mood of confusion.

Bundestag President Julia Klöckner was said to be planning a second vote on Wednesday, although Christian Democrat General Secretary Carsten Linnemann said he was hoping for a second round by the end of the day.