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 [[Chirstian Democratic Union]] with the godless [[Social Democratic Party]] which had only recently been voted out of power. On an unprecedented second ballot, Merz received 325 votes.

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. On an unprecedented second ballot, Merz received 325 votes.

==Economic program==

==Economic program==