Changes

Russia expert [[Dr. Gilbert Doctorow]] commented:

Russia expert [[Dr. Gilbert Doctorow]] commented:

{{Cquote|there is now another [[European]] 'leader' whose [[anti-Russian]] words may translate into actions that will be devastating for Germany and could just drag us all into a [[third world war]]. I am speaking about the incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz.<ref>[https://gilbertdoctorow.com/2025/04/15/friedrich-merz-the-most-dangerous-german-leader-since-adolf-hitler/ Friedrich Merz: the most dangerous German leader since Adolf Hitler], Gilbert Doctorow, April 15, 2025. gilbertdoctorow.com</ref>}}

{{Cquote|there is now another [[European]] 'leader' whose [[anti-Russian]] words may translate into actions that will be devastating for Germany and could just drag us all into a [[third world war]]. I am speaking about the incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz.<ref>[https://gilbertdoctorow.com/2025/04/15/friedrich-merz-the-most-dangerous-german-leader-since-adolf-hitler/ Friedrich Merz: the most dangerous German leader since Adolf Hitler], Gilbert Doctorow, April 15, 2025. gilbertdoctorow.com</ref>}}

Merz's bid to become Germany's 10th chancellor since [[World War II]] failed by six votes in parliament. Merz needed a majority of 316 out of 630 votes. He only received 310 votes — well short of the 328 seats held by his [[coalition]] with [[Socialist]]s. Because the vote was held by secret ballot, it was not immediately clear — and might never be known — who had defected from Merz’s camp. Merz had excluded the [[conservative populist]] [[Alternative for Germany]], the largest voting bloc in the [[Bundestag]], from a power sharing agreement choosing instead to form a coalition government of his [[Christian Democratic Union]] with the godless [[Social Democratic Party]] which had only recently been voted out of power. In an unprecedented second ballot, Merz received 325 votes. The Merz regime was not expected to last very long.

Merz's bid to become Germany's 10th chancellor since [[World War II]] failed by six votes in parliament. Merz needed a majority of 316 out of 630 votes. He only received 310 votes — well short of the 328 seats held by his [[coalition]] with [[Socialist]]s. Because the vote was held by secret ballot, it was not immediately clear — and might never be known — who had defected from Merz’s camp. Merz had excluded the [[conservative populist]] [[Alternative for Germany]], the largest voting bloc in the [[Bundestag]], from a power sharing agreement choosing instead to form a coalition government of his [[Christian Democratic Union]] with the godless [[Social Democratic Party]] which had only recently been voted out of power. In an unprecedented second ballot, Merz received 325 votes. The Merz regime was not expected to last very long.