F riedrich Merz’s first steps as German chancellor proved to be a stumble and, one year on, he is still struggling to find his footing at the helm of Europe’s top economy and most populous country, with support at historic lows and the far right poised to pounce. The conservative Christian Democrat took office on 6 May 2025 after a humiliating loss in the first round of voting in parliament. It raised doubts, right from the start, about the stability of his coalition government with the Social Democrats. Lawmakers formally elect the chancellor after a general election, and it is typically assumed they will rubber-stamp the new government’s chosen candidate. Mystery still lingers about the identity of the 18 unnamed rebels in the secret ballot who denied Merz his majority, but it set the tone for an administration marred by crises, gaffes, outbursts and mistrust. Friedrich Merz’s time as German chancellor got off to a tricky start.…