Merz Treads Uneven Ground

Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz, sworn into office earlier this month, requires to summon all his political prowess to maintain the delicate balance with his Christian Democratic Union’s Bavarian sister grouping, the Christian Social Union, and the centre-left Social Democratic Party in the coalition cabinet. Parliament endorsed Merz only in the second round of voting. Some of his party members or those from the coalition partners resented him in the secret ballot, conceding a majority only in the next round. In a display of inner-party democracy, the recommendation to join a coalition led by the Conservatives, the Social Democratic Party’s 358,000 members in April were asked to vote on the move. A good majority of them endorsed the proposal.