After protracted talks, Angela Merkel’s conservatives have made a deal with the Social Democrats over a new coalition contract in Germany. The SPD confirmed this in a message to its members, who will have the final say.
Negotiators from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), their Bavarian partners the Christian Social Union (CSU) and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) have finally hashed out a contract for a new grand coalition government — probably ensuring that Angela Merkel will stay in office for a fourth tenure as German chancellor.
German news outlets including ARD and Der Spiegel reported just before 10 a.m. on Wednesday — the third day of “extra time” — that a final contract had been agreed, to be formally announced later in the day. The SPD leadership confirmed the reports in a group WhatsApp message, which began, “Tired. But satisfied,” and said that final details were now being added to the text of the contract, which would then be assessed by the SPD negotiating team.
CSU parliamentary group leader Alexander Dobrindt also confirmed the reports as he left CDU headquarters in Berlin, where more details were hammered out overnight. “It was high time that we got the prospect of a government,” he told reporters, before adding that he was satisfied with the deal.
One of the last major hurdles was the allocation of ministerial posts, always a thorny issue and typically among the last to be confirmed.
Early reports suggested that the SPD would be handed the Finance Ministry – a major victory for the Social Democrats – while CSU leader Horst Seehofer, one of the most conservative figures on Merkel’s side, would become Interior Minister. The SPD also look set to keep control of the Foreign Ministry and the Labor Ministry, with party leader Martin Schulz reportedly keen to be Foreign Minister.
Coalition’s fate in hands of SPD members
In the days leading up to the final agreement, various SPD officials sent out breathless messages (complete with selfies) to the same WhatsApp group proclaiming the policies that had been agreed. That PR campaign was seen as vital to convincing skeptics among the party’s members that they had won significant concessions from their conservative partners.
The SPD members will have the final say on whether to accept the coalition agreement, in a vote due to take place by post in the coming weeks. Regional party officials have reported several thousand new members joining the party since the New Year, which means that more than 460,000 people will have the right to vote. If that hurdle is cleared — and the vote could well be close — Merkel will be free to appoint a Cabinet and the parties will sign the coalition contract. Then, if all goes to plan, Germany will have a new government by Easter — some six months after the general election.
Here are the key points agreed in the coalition contract, though the details of certain vital issues – including health insurance and potential labor market reforms – have yet to be made public.
Arms exports: The two sides have agreed to tighten Germany’s arms export controls — last updated in 2000 — specifically to exclude all countries taking part in the Yemen War. This would be a major change, since it would mean Saudi Arabia, one of the best customers for German arms, would be left out.
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