Germany’s conservative leader has unexpectedly fallen short of the numbers needed to form a majority in parliament to become chancellor.

Friedrich Merz, 69, needed 316 votes in the 630-seat Bundestag but only secured 310, in a significant blow to the Christian Democrat leader, two and a half months after winning Germany’s federal elections.

His coalition with the centre-left has enough seats in parliament but it appears 18 MPs who had been expected to back him dissented.

The Bundestag will now have another 14 days to choose either Merz or another candidate as chancellor.

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