Germany's New Government: Black-Red Coalition Seals Deal with Coalition Agreement
Three major political parties - the Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Social Union, and the Social Democratic Party - have sealed a coalition pact. - Conservative and Social Democratic parties seal power-sharing deal
armed with a 144-page game plan, the CDU, CSU, and SPD have struck their fifth black-red coalition in the history of the Federal Republic. The leaders of each party inked their deal, titled "Responsibility for Germany," in Berlin, setting the stage for the Union and SPD to elect CDU chief Friedrich Merz as the new Chancellor starting Tuesday.
Merz: Powerful, Purposeful, Trustworthy
Before the signing, Merz declared that the coalition aimed to propel Germany forward with reforms and investments. The continent was eager for Germany to rejoin the race with a powerful contribution to the joint project once more. "I am supremely confident that we'll govern this country powerfully, purposefully, and honestly tomorrw," Merz said.
Klingbeil: Enablers Needed - Söder, Full Steam Ahead
The designated SPD Vice-Chancellor, Lars Klingbeil, stressed that the government could only thrive with team spirit. Klingbeil adopted "Germany needs fewer administrators and more enablers" as the coalition's mantra.
Major Policy Points in German Politics, at a Glance
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Söder: Full Speed Ahead for Germany
CSU leader Markus Söder urged "full steam ahead for Germany". He acknowledged that not all progress could be achieved overnight but urged the need to establish a "Germany pace" for implementing the coalition agreement's decisions. "It's about time for a new optimism," Söder remarked.
Merz boasts a 12-vote cushion in the upcoming chancellor election
The steps for the chancellor election on Tuesday have officially been prepared. For Merz to claim victory, he'll need the approval of the majority of all members of the Bundestag in a secret ballot, which translates to 316 votes. The Bundestag consists of 328 politicians from Union and SPD. Despite the tight margin, Merz's anticipated victory in the first round is considered secure.
Following his election, Merz will receive the appointment certificate from Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Bellevue Palace and then take the oath of office in the Bundestag. The appointment and swearing-in of his cabinet will follow.
The era of the grand coalition has drawn to a close
Come Tuesday afternoon, the new government will be able to get down to business - exactly half a year after the downfall of the first traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens, and FDP. With a fully functional government now in place and backed by a majority in the Bundestag, Germany is steaming ahead.
Alliances between CDU, CSU, and SPD were previously referred to as "grand coalitions" or GroKo due to their substantial majority in the Bundestag. During the first "grand coalition" from 1966 to 1969, the three coalition parties collectively boasted 90% of the members of parliament. Even in the last black-red coalition from 2018 to 2021, it was only 56%. Now it stands at a narrow majority of 52%.
Merz opts for a "working coalition"
In the past few weeks, a new moniker for the somewhat diminished coalition has remained elusive, but none have found much traction. Proposed nicknames included KleiKo (small coalition, Greens' idea), via Angola and Albania coalitions (following country colors), and the Cola Zero coalition (after the product colors) – all met with varying degrees of jest.
The designated chancellor has now christened the new ensemble "working coalition." The agreement's heading has been picked accordingly understatedly with "Responsibility for Germany."
The black-red coalition will face four critical challenges: They aim to revive the struggling economy, curb irregular migration, manage finances with budget plans for 2025 and 2026, and redefine their role in Europe and the world post the foreign policy shift of former US President Donald Trump and Russia's threat. The Merz/Klingbeil administration eyes initial progress by summer.
- SPD
- Germany
- CDU
- CSU
- Coalition Agreement
- Bundestag
- Friedrich Merz
- Federal Election
- Berlin
- Government Formation
- Lars Klingbeil
- Chairman
- Europe
- Markus Söder
- Grand Coalition
- The CDU, CSU, and SPD have formed a new coalition government in Germany, known as the black-red coalition, after signing a 144-page coalition agreement titled "Responsibility for Germany."
- Friedrich Merz, the CDU's chosen leader, aims to lead Germany powerfully, purposefully, and honestly with reforms and investments, as declared before signing the agreement.
- The new SPD Vice-Chancellor, Lars Klingbeil, emphasized the need for team spirit in the government and adopted "Germany needs fewer administrators and more enablers" as the coalition's guiding philosophy.
- The upcoming chancellor election on Tuesday requires Merz to secure 316 votes out of the 328 members of the Bundestag for his victory, signifying a narrow majority support from the Union and SPD parties.
