Friedrich Merz's failure on Tuesday to win the required absolute majority in parliament to be elected chancellor of Germany leaves him weakened but not yet defeated.Here is the procedure for electing a successor to the outgoing chancellor,

Friedrich Merz has 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.

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz was elected in a second ballot by lawmakers as post-World War II Germany's 10th chancellor on Tuesday — hours after he failed to win the first round in parliament in a historic defeat.