What to Know About the Formation of Germany’s New Government

Friedrich Merz, a conservative Christian Democrat, had been expected to become Germany's next chancellor after his party secured third place in parliament, but he fell short by six votes and now faces a second round of voting. His Christian Democratic Union initially secured 28.5% of the vote, just behind Angela Merkel's Social Democrats with 34.9%. Merz, who has never held a government position before, aims to regain his political momentum after being passed over for Chancellor Merkel in 2017.