Just six months after the collapse of the Olaf Scholz three coalition, conservative Christian Democrat Friedrich Merz will be sworn in as Germany’s next prime minister on Tuesday.
The oath comes after less than two months of negotiations with the Christian Democratic Union, or the CDU, which first came with a 28.5% vote.
After a decade-long break from politics after her death in support of Angela Merkel, Merkel has never arrested a government office. A talented and engaging speaker, he revealed his ambition to return Germany to a leadership role in Europe.
What challenges does the new government face?
Germany is perhaps the most dangerous moment since unification 35 years ago.
Even before President Trump announced tariffs, Germany’s economy was in a recession. Once a booming export, China has lost its preference for German luxury cars and other German exports. Energy is expensive due to sanctions on Russian gas. Labor costs are higher than average and public infrastructure is failing.
Germany also appears to be at risk of losing US security before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, before it allowed relatively little investment in defense.
In addition, the far-right AFD, a service from the German domestic intelligence agency labelled “extremists” last week, has been running the neck and neck in a poll with Merz’s CDU.
Who will help Meltz run the country?
Some of Merz’s cabinet choices have shocked political watchers.
Merz tapped some people in the private sector, a very rare decision for the German federal government. Most people have been involved in high-level politics for many years because of the minister’s work.
For example, Karsten Wildberger led the largest e-retailer in Germany until this year. Now he tries to help Germany move into the 21st century as the first minister of digitalization and modernization.
Katharina Reihee, who will become the first woman to lead the Ministry of Economy, ran a large regional power provider.
Both reportedly made significant wage cuts to run the ministries.
Merz has appointed only seven of the 17 ministers to be sworn under him. The Christian Social Union, the sister party of Bavaria, was named three, and the SPD was named Seven.
The highly popular Social Democrat defense minister, Boris Pistorius, stays at his post, which is rare even in German politics. Social Democrat Head Lars Klingbale will win the posts of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.
However, the SPD also fills ministries with many young, lesser-known politicians.
Verena Hubertz, who co-founded Kitchen Story, a cooking platform, at the age of 37, will lead the Ministry of Housing.
Wee Jun, a professor of political science and an avid observer of Berlin’s politics, said that while some of the choices made by political parties are unorthodox, both are trying to fulfill the promise of political change.
“The parties want to present a new face, which ultimately brought one or two surprises to the choice,” he said.
The two ministers, Karin Prien and Riem Arabali Radvan, were not born in Germany, which is unusual in German politics. Furthermore, Mr. Plien, who belongs to the progressive wing of CDU and oversees education, is Jewish. Some of her ancestors fled the Nazis by moving to the Netherlands in the 1930s.
How does oath work?
Swearing at German Chancellor is a parliamentary procedure that relates to far less dignity than American equivalents, but much more commuting.
First, Merz must be elected prime minister by a 630-seat parliament. The Union holds 360 of these seats. It’s not the majority, but since no reason for anyone to get lost from the party line, he is expected to win the simple majority needed in the first round.
Merz will then be driven a mile beyond Tiergarten to his presidential residence, Schloss Bellevue, where President Frank Walter Steinmeier handed over his nomination document. He then returns and is sworn by the newly formed president of Congress.
That procedure is repeated when Merz officially announces his cabinet. All 17 ministers travel to the president for the president before returning to be sworn in Congress.
How long can this government last?
This time it could be better.
During his tenure, Scholz had to compete for three very different parties. And two of them, Green and the Liberal Liberal Democrats, had opposite ideas on many issues. The important thing is spending.
This coalition may be likely to be held for other reasons. This time, the members may feel that they have no other options.
As AFD grew, early elections could make it more seats and make it even more difficult. Whatever their differences in policy are, neither party wants it.
