Friedrich Merz’s halting path to the chancellor’s office inflamed his challenges at home and abroad, including a threat from the far right.

Merz is now facing a myriad of challenges, including keeping his coalition government united and boosting Germany's struggling economy. After some dramatics, and around 10 weeks after the German election, Europe's largest economy finally has a leader: Friedrich Merz.

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.