A political earthquake in Germany as Friedrich Merz fails to reach majority in the first chancellor vote

A political earthquake in Germany as Friedrich Merz fails to reach majority in the first chancellor vote

.  The parliament will not hold a second vote today, German media reports with commentators already speaking of a looming constitutional crisis.

Bad news for the European Union  too,  where many have been waiting for Berlin to again play a bigger and more constructive role in the bloc.

The result takes Germany into unprecedented waters, with no candidate for chancellor ever having failed to secure an absolute majority in the first round of voting. Outgoing Chancellor Scholz is now to remain in office until a new chancellor is sworn in.