Germany’s parliament confirmed Friedrich Merz as the country’s next chancellor on Monday, but only after failing to secure enough support in a first-round vote earlier in the day. This makes Merz the first candidate to fail such a vote since 1949 and leaves questions about the strength of his coalition during a challenging time for the country. The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, executive vice president of the Bertelsmann Foundation, a German think tank.