In a sudden turn of events, Conservative leader Friedrich Merz has fallen short of the numbers required for a majority in the German parliament. Merz needed 316 votes in the 630-seat Bundestag to be Chancellor, but only secured 310. Merz’s CDU/CSU had to sign a deal with SPD, led by Lars Klingbeil, who was poised to be Finance Minister. His coalition with the centre-left has enough seats in parliament, but 18 MPs dissented.
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