New Chancellor Friedrich Merz says his compatriots must work harder and smarter to restore Germany's competitive edge. Ahead of a Bundestag speech, Merz also promised to cut energy costs and red tape.

Friedrich Merz succeeded in his bid to become the next German chancellor during a second vote in parliament, hours after he suffered a historic defeat in the first round.

Mr. Merz needed two rounds of voting to become chancellor after a surprising defeat in Parliament hours earlier that threatened to hobble his new government.

Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, called for the repeal of the CSDDD during his inaugural visit to the European Commission on May 9,

Newly installed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is to receive Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for talks in Berlin, the government spokesman, Stefan Kornelius, said on Tuesday. Germany has banned the far-right group "Königsreich Deutschland" ("Kingdom of Germany") and arrested several of its members.

Supporters of Mr. Merz, a former corporate lawyer, say he is well-prepared and thoughtful, but critics accuse him of failing to think more than one step ahead and breaking promises.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz failed to secure enough parliamentary votes to become chancellor in a major blow.

Friedrich Merz’s unprecedented failure to win election as German chancellor in the first round of voting in parliament has raised doubts about his new government’s ability to carry through on plans to push Europe’s largest economy out of stagnation.

Germany's newly-minted Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited US President Donald Trump to visit his ancestral home in the Palatinate region of western Germany during a future trip. "I have invited him to come to Germany and visit us in his hometown of Bad Dürkheim.