A leader of the German Evangelical Alliance has welcomed the prospect of political stability in the country after days of uncertainty in the Bundestag, Germany’s federal parliament. Conservative leader Friedrich Merz, who initially failed to secure enough support to become chancellor, has now succeeded on his second attempt.
Merz, 69, fell six votes short of a majority in the 630-seat Bundestag during the first round of voting on May 6, receiving only 310 votes. However, in a second secret ballot, he secured 325 votes—nine more than needed. The vote followed a coalition agreement announced last week between Merz’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the center-left Social Democrats, according to the BBC.
"The whole of Europe looked to Berlin today in the hope that Germany would reassert itself as an anchor of stability and a pro-European powerhouse," said Jana Puglierin, head of the Berlin office of the European Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, as quoted by Reuters. "That hope has been dashed."
Reports say the failure of the first vote for Merz caused confusion in the Bundestag and it is the first time since 1949 that a candidate has failed to secure parliamentary support for the role of chancellor.
However, Merz has now been sworn into his role as chancellor by Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Reinhardt Schink, a leading board member of the Evangelische Allianz Deutschland (German Evangelical Alliance, EAD) told Christian Daily International that it had “worked out well” for Merz, following the second round of voting.
“Even if it is historically unprecedented for a designated Federal Chancellor to need two rounds of voting, we are grateful that Germany has been spared a longer phase of uncertainty and instability,” Schink said.
“The political signal is clear: there is a lot of dissatisfaction and disappointment. Friedrich Merz and the coalition are facing a challenging time that will require courageous decisions.”
For Schink, the current political uncertainty in Germany offers a renewed opportunity for Christians to model biblical values and to actively intercede in prayer for those in authority.
“As Christians, we hear God's wake-up call in times like these to turn from wrong paths and realign ourselves as a society with the biblical truth that opens up living spaces, overcomes the spirit of division and outrage in a society and heals relationships,” Schink said.
He added that these are meaningful prayer concerns for the upcoming legislative term, reflecting the apostle Paul’s exhortation in 1 Timothy 2 to pray for all people, including those in positions of authority, so that society may flourish in peace, dignity, and godliness. “This is good and pleases God our Saviour, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth,” he said.
