Friedrich Merz was elected chancellor by the German parliament on Tuesday in a second round of voting, after failing to secure an absolute majority in an earlier round. His appointment ends six months of political deadlock in the country after the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government in November.

Friedrich Merz succeeded Tuesday 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. The conservative leader had been expected to smoothly win the vote to become Germany’s 10th chancellor since World War II.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz failed to secure enough parliamentary votes to become chancellor in a major blow.