WASHINGTON

The US on Tuesday congratulated Friedrich Merz after Germany's parliament elected him as the new chancellor in a second round of voting.

"We congratulate Frederick Merz on his election as chancellor in Germany," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters.

"We will continue to work with Germany and its next government to ensure the security of the United States and Europe," she added.

Merz, after getting parliamentary approval on Tuesday, became Germany's 10th chancellor since World War II. He secured this position after his Christian Democrats clinched a coalition deal with the Social Democrats following the Feb. 23 snap elections.