BERLIN (AP) — 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.

While already planned, the trip comes only a day after Merz was elected chancellor by parliament on the second round of voting. His unprecedented failure to succeed on the first round underscored disunity in the coalition of his conservatives and Social Democrats.

Friedrich Merz lost the first round of votes Tuesday morning in a historic defeat, but ultimately prevailed hours later on the second ballot.