After a historic four-day stalemate and a hard-fought intra-party battle to the end, Republican candidate Kevin McCarthy has been elected as the new leader of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 15th attempt.

JTFMax:

Days of election chaos in the U.S. Congress end with a cinematic finale - The transcript of the Capitol thriller.

What unfolds on Saturday night in the U.S. House of Representatives chamber leaves observers in disbelief. First, there are desperate last-minute negotiations on the open stage, heated arguments, and almost fisticuffs between deputies. Then, on several occasions, the situation suddenly turns in the opposite direction. Television commentators hold their breath live. Then, finally, the gavel falls - and Republican Kevin McCarthy is the new Speaker of the House.

The 57-year-old won the vote early Saturday morning by 216 votes to 211. The decision had been preceded by 14 unsuccessful ballots since Tuesday. It was the longest election for the so-called Speaker of the House in 160 years.

The bitter power struggle, which completely paralyzed the congressional chamber, began Tuesday. That's when several Republicans from the party's right-wing fringe first rebelled against their caucus leader, McCarthy, and kept up their rebellion for days. Finally, they refused to support McCarthy in the election for chairman of the House and subjected all their colleagues to their dictates.

Because until the chairman is determined, nothing goes. The newly elected members of the House of Representatives had to vote and vote and vote again. More than a dozen ballots were needed - more than ever since the 19th century. And each time, McCarthy's opponents mercilessly abandoned him.

It wasn't until Friday that movement came to the chaotic situation:

McCarthy pulls over a dozen critics to his side with another battery of concessions. Nevertheless, it already looks as if he has secured the necessary votes when the congressional chamber reconvenes late in the evening.

McCarthy is confident of victory. But in the end, he is one vote short. Just one. One of his most formidable opponents, Matt Gaetz, abstains at the last minute, sealing McCarthy's 14th consecutive election defeat. Perplexity in the hall. Hectic conversations begin.

One of McCarthy's confidants talks to Gaetz for minutes. In the end, McCarthy himself goes to his opponent. The two exchange a few words with tense faces, then McCarthy turns away. Another deputy storms angrily toward Gaetz, and a party colleague holds him back at the last moment. It gets loud. "Wo-hoo," several shouts.

Other party colleagues also work Gaetz over. But he doesn't move until McCarthy's camp has already moved to adjourn the meeting. One more time, McCarthy and Gaetz speak briefly, then McCarthy runs to the meeting chair and changes his vote to stop the adjournment. Others do the same. And shortly after that, the 15th and the final ballot is finally cast. McCarthy has gathered the necessary votes. Applause erupts even before the result is announced.

"That was easy, wasn't it?" says McCarthy later as he delivers his inaugural address. By now, it's well past midnight. But, he later adds, "I'll be honest: It wasn't the way I planned it." And he leaves everyone in the room with this: "I hope one thing is clear after this week: I never give up." After his swearing-in, he briefly raises his fist in the air.

Yet he enters his new office weakened to the maximum. The days-long election debacle was a public embarrassment for him and a humiliation of historic proportions.

McCarthy made considerable concessions to his opponents in recent weeks and days - and allowed himself to be blackmailed in the process. Among other things, the radicals insisted on changing the procedural rules in the chamber to give them more power as a minority to drive the Speaker before them. It is hard to imagine that reasonable cooperation will be possible after the election - after all, it was not only about political goals but also about personal matters.

McCarthy has been eyeing the third-highest office in the state for years and has always been careful not to antagonize the radical supporters of former President Donald Trump. Nevertheless, he probably suspected he would one day have to rely on their support.

That thoroughly backfired - Trump's hardcore supporters have shown that they can't be relied upon and that they despise the political establishment itself and are bent on dismantling it.

What role did Trump play?

The fact that Trump campaigned for McCarthy did not stop the latter's opponents from making a spectacle of themselves in the House. In the end, however, Trump wants it fixed. Photos of the session show right-wing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene waving her cell phone in front of party colleagues. The screen shows that "DT" is on the other end: Donald Trump. McCarthy, at any rate, thanked Trump "especially" in front of reporters after winning the election. "He really helped get the last votes," McCarthy says. "I don't think anyone should doubt his influence."

What Trump has managed to do, in any case, is drive internal division in the party. The Republican caucus is fractured. McCarthy can expect to fight these battles to organize majorities constantly. It is usually difficult enough to overcome opposition from the other caucus in the House of Representatives or the other chamber of Congress.

The House of Representatives has essential tasks in the legislative process.

It has to approve the budget, which finances government operations and ensures no shutdown. Government employees may have to take compulsory leave or work temporarily without pay if a shutdown occurs. The debt ceiling is also due to be raised again soon. If Congress does not approve it, the world's largest economy could default on its debt. This would result in a global financial crisis.

Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is already warning that McCarthy's "concessions to the extremists in his party" make it much more likely that a "shutdown" or U.S. default could occur "with devastating consequences for our country." Schumer cautions McCarthy's "dream job" could become a "nightmare" for the American people.