It has been a roller-coaster of a day. Dramatic scenes from the Bundestag after Christian Democratic (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz failed to win enough votes to be elected chancellor.
This was the first time in post-world war history that such an event has happened.
He managed it by the second vote, but we take a look through the top 10 photos of the day:
- Friedrich Merz casts his ballot for the first chancellor vote on Tuesday morning.
- Friedrich Merz reacts after he loses the vote
- Colleagues gather round following the news that Merz did not manage to win the vote
- German lawmakers prepare to vote a second time on Tuesday to elect Merz as chancellor
- Friedrich Merz casting his ballot for the second vote
- MPs applauding after Merz secures enough votes in the second round of voting
- Relief after the vote count is read out in the Bundestag
- Former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulating Friedrich Merz after he wins enough votes to be elected chancellor
- MPs queue to congratulate Merz on being elected chancellor
- Merz arrives at Bellevue Palace to be sworn in by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday evening.