Conservative leader Merz overcomes historic defeat to become Germany’s chancellor

BERLIN (AP) — Conservative leader Friedrich Merz succeeded Tuesday in becoming Germany’s next chancellor, drawing applause and a palpable sense of relief in the parliament chamber after a historic loss in the first round of voting threatened the new government's promises of stability.

No other postwar candidate for German chancellor has failed to win on the first ballot. The stunning but short-lived defeat sent shock waves throughout Europe and dragged down the stock market. The DAX, the index of major German companies, fell by 1.8% at one point.

The first round of voting, which was conducted by secret ballot, could affect Merz's prospects for success and bring trouble to his coalition's agenda, which includes reviving a stagnant economy and dealing with the rise of the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party.

As the most populous member state of the 27-nation European Union and the continent’s biggest economy, Germany is Europe's diplomatic and economic heavyweight. Many had hoped Merz’s ascension would help the continent navigate the war in Ukraine and the confrontational trade policy of U.S. President Donald Trump.

“The whole of Europe, perhaps even the whole world, is watching this second round of elections,” Jens Spahn, the head of the center-right Union bloc in the German parliament, said before the final vote.

Merz had been expected to easily win the vote to become Germany’s 10th chancellor since World War II, but the first ballot in the lower house of parliament unexpectedly left him with 310 votes — well short of the 328 seats held by his coalition.

Hours later in the second round, he earned 325 votes, surpassing the 316 needed to pass in the 630-seat Bundestag.

Because the votes were cast secretly, it was not immediately clear — and might never be — who defected from Merz’s camp.

Merz’s coalition is led by his center-right Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union. They are joined by the center-left Social Democrats led by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who lost the national election in February.

Volker Resing, Merz's biographer, said Merz and his new ministers must now focus on the day-to-day business of running the country.

“Tomorrow, this government must work, and it must make people forget how it started," he told The Associated Press. “It must now show that it can get the economy going again. ... It must show that it can get illegal migration under control, and it must show that there is leadership again in Europe, especially in light of the threat from the east.”

Merz did not directly address his first-round loss Tuesday evening in his first speech after being sworn in, saying only that he was grateful to be elected “in the second round of voting.”

“So here we go. I am looking forward to the new task, and I am looking forward to working with you all in this house in a spirit of trust,” he said.

Tuesday's voting came on the eve of the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender in World War II. The ballots were cast in the restored Reichstag building, where graffiti left by victorious Soviet troops has been preserved at several locations.

The shadow of the war in Ukraine also loomed over the vote. Germany is the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine, after the United States.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that he seeks more European and transatlantic leadership from Germany following Merz’s win.

“Ukraine is deeply grateful for the support of Germany and its people," Zelenskyy wrote on social platform X. "Your helping hand has saved thousands and thousands of Ukrainian lives.”

Overall, Germany is the fourth-largest defense spender in the world, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which studies trends in global military expenditures. Only the U.S., China and Russia are ahead.

Germany rose to that rank thanks to an investment of 100 billion euros ($107 billion) for its armed forces, a measure passed by lawmakers in 2022.

Defense spending rose again earlier this year, when parliament loosened the nation’s strict debt rules. The move has been closely watched by the rest of Europe as the Trump administration has threatened to pull back from its security commitment to the continent.

The U.S. administration has bashed Germany repeatedly since Trump’s inauguration in January. Trump, who has German roots, often expressed his dislike of former Chancellor Angela Merkel during his first term.

This time around, Trump’s lieutenants are at the forefront — tech billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk has supported AfD for months. He hosted a chat with co-leader Alice Weidel that he livestreamed on X earlier this year to amplify her party’s message.

AfD is the biggest opposition party in Germany’s new parliament after it placed second in February’s elections. Despite its historic gains, it was shut out of coalition talks due to the so-called “firewall” that mainstream German political parties have upheld against cooperating with far-right parties since the end of the war.

Vice President JD Vance, during the Munich Security Conference in February, assailed the creation of the firewall and later met with Weidel, a move that German officials heavily criticized.

Last week, the German domestic intelligence service said it has classified AfD as a “right-wing extremist” organization, making it subject to greater and broader surveillance.

The decision by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution prompted blowback from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vance over the weekend. Germany’s Foreign Ministry hit back at Rubio after he called on the country to drop the classification.

The domestic intelligence service’s measure does not amount to a ban of the party, which can only be imposed through a request by either of parliament’s two chambers or by the federal government through the Federal Constitutional Court.

Merz has not commented publicly on the intelligence service’s decision.

Associated Press writer David Keyton and videojournalist Fanny Brodersen in Berlin and writer David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany, contributed to this report.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, presents Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz with his certificate of appointment at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, following his election by the German Bundestag, on Tuesday May 6, 2025. (Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

Friedrich Merz takes the oath of office in front of Parliament President Julia Kloeckner after being elected new Chancellor at the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Leader of the Christian Democrats Friedrich Merz is congratulated by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz after being elected new chancellor at the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Leader of the Christian Democrats Friedrich Merz, third from right, listens to a debate iahead of a second round of vote at the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Friedrich Merz waits for the beginning of a session where he is supposed to be elected new Chancellor in the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Leader of the Christian Democrats Friedrich Merz is congratulated by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz after being elected new chancellor at the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Leader of the Christian Democrats Friedrich Merz is pictured after he failed to be elected new chancellor at the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Leader of the Christian Democrats Friedrich Merz reacts after being elected new chancellor at the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Leader of the Christian Democrats Friedrich Merz is applauded after being elected new chancellor at the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Friedrich Merz walks in the plenary after he was not elected new Chancellor in the first voting process at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Friedrich Merz walks in the plenary after he was not elected new Chancellor in the first voting process at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Friedrich Merz reacts after he was not elected new Chancellor in the first voting process at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Friedrich Merz reacts after he was not elected new Chancellor in the first voting process at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Friedrich Merz casts his vote during the election of a new Chancellor at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Friedrich Merz, right, talks to outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Lawmakers wait for the beginning of a session were Friedrich Merz is supposed to be elected new chancellor at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

FILE -Olaf Scholz, German Chancellor of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), left, and Friedrich Merz, right, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), are pictured in tv studio ahead of a debate in Berlin, Germany, Feb. 19, 2025. (Fabrizio Bensch/Pool Photo via AP, File)

HANOI, Vietnam--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 13, 2026--

FPT, through its global IT services subsidiary FPT Software, has achieved ISO/IEC 42001:2023, the first global standard for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Management Systems. With this milestone, FPT became the first company in Vietnam and the second in Southeast Asia to earn this recognition, underscoring its commitment to responsible AI development and deployment with consideration for fairness and impartiality, privacy and security, safety, quality and robustness, governance, transparency and explainability.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112494011/en/

The certification was issued by the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company SGS and qualified by ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) - a leading U.S. accreditation body with global recognition. ISO/IEC 42001 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving AI management systems, allowing organizations to effectively manage risks and opportunities associated with AI, balancing innovation with compliance.

Achieving ISO/IEC 42001:2023 reflects FPT’s capability in AI governance, encompassing ethics, risk management, transparency, compliance, and ensuring alignment with both business goals and societal values. It also strengthens FPT’s position as a trusted technology partner for global organizations, especially those in highly regulated industries such as banking and financial services, automotive, healthcare, energy, and the public sector. The milestone further solidifies FPT’s position as an AI-first company, strengthening its foundation for scaling AI responsibly while helping clients navigate evolving regulatory, ethical, and operational challenges associated with AI adoption.

“As an AI-first company, we pledge to prioritize safety, ethics and accountability at every stage of our AI lifecycle. By continuously governing AI development and implementation processes, we provide our clients and partners with the assurance that our solutions are built with responsibility, transparency and adhere to international excellence,” said Dao Duy Cuong, FPT Software EVP and Chief Digital & Technology Officer, FPT Corporation.

FPT actively promotes responsible AI development as a founding member of the AI Alliance led by IBM and Meta, and the Vietnam Ethical AI Committee. The company is committed to embedding rigorous AI governance across its global operations and solution portfolio, including its flagship AI platform FleziPT, which boosts productivity by 30%, accelerates development by 60% and reduces 50% in rework. The company also maintains co-creation partnerships with global leaders like AWS, Microsoft, SAP, and NVIDIA to deliver tailored solutions for industry-specific challenges. Supporting these efforts is a workforce of over 25,000 AI-augmented, globally certified engineers, and world-class infrastructure including cutting-edge AI Factories in Vietnam and Japan, which have been ranked among the world’s Top 40 fastest supercomputers. Expanding its AI footprint, FPT is developing a new Research Center in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, which is expected to become a critical component of its global AI development network, supporting high-quality talent cultivation for both the local community and the nation.

About FPT

FPT Corporation (FPT) is a globally leading technology and IT services provider headquartered in Vietnam, operating in three core sectors: Technology, Telecommunications, and Education. Over more than three decades, FPT has consistently delivered impactful solutions to millions of individuals and tens of thousands of organizations worldwide. As an AI-first company, FPT is committed to elevating Vietnam’s position on the global tech map and delivering world-class AI-enabled solutions for global enterprises. FPT focuses on three critical transformations: Digital Transformation, Intelligence Transformation, and Green Transformation. In 2024, FPT reported a total revenue of USD 2.47 billion and a workforce of over 54,000 employees across its core businesses. For more information about FPT's global IT services, please visit https://fptsoftware.com.

FPT received ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification during the certification award ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam