Germany’s Friedrich Merz has formally become chancellor at the second attempt, hours after an unprecedented defeat signaled deep discontent within his coalition. In a hastily organized session on Tuesday afternoon,

The leader of Germany's Christian Democrat-Social Democratic coalition, Friedrich Merz, suffered a shock defeat Tuesday in his bid to become chancellor after failing to secure a majority in a vote in the Bundestag.

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.