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.

Hours after he suffered a historic defeat, Friedrich Merz was elected as German chancellor on Tuesday. The leader of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) had been widely expected to win the vote to become the country's 10th chancellor since World War II.

Friedrich Merz has been elected as Germany's 10th post-World War II chancellor, the culmination of a long political career that was once sidelined by his party's iconic leader, Angela Merkel.