AfD party demands snap elections after Merz lost first Bundestag vote.

‘Merz should RESIGN IMMEDIATELY’ – AfD co-chair Weidel

'Merz should step down and the way should be cleared for new elections in our country' AfD leader Alice Weidel said, calling the result a 'good day for Germany'.

Merz pressured to have 2nd Chancellor election round TODAY — reports

Voting begins in less than an HOUR — can Merz pull off comeback?

Place your bets now!   Then this happened:

Germany's parliament elects Friedrich Merz, leader of CDU/CSU bloc, as the new chancellor

He secured 325 votes from lawmakers, surpassing the required 316.

❗️ Friedrich Merz officially elected Chancellor of Germany after second round of voting

Adding: 

Putin has held a telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian — Kremlin

Putin expressed his sincere condolences over the deaths in the Shahid Rajaee port blast

The presidents have discussed progress of Oman-mediated Iran-Us talks on Iranian nuclear program

The Iranian president warmly congratulated Putin and all Russian citizens on the 80th anniversary of victory in WWII.