This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/07/germany-coalition-deal-cdu-spd-angela-merkel-martin-schulz
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Germany's CDU and SPD parties reach coalition deal | Germany's CDU and SPD parties reach coalition deal |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and Schulz’s Social Democrats had been locked in talks since early January | Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and Schulz’s Social Democrats had been locked in talks since early January |
| Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Philip Oltermann in Berlin |
| Wed 7 Feb 2018 10.13 GMT | Wed 7 Feb 2018 10.13 GMT |
| First published on Wed 7 Feb 2018 10.02 GMT | First published on Wed 7 Feb 2018 10.02 GMT |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| View more sharing options | View more sharing options |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Close | Close |
| Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union has agreed on the terms of a coalition deal with the centre-left Social Democrats following marathon talks in Berlin, German media has reported. | Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union has agreed on the terms of a coalition deal with the centre-left Social Democrats following marathon talks in Berlin, German media has reported. |
| The breakthrough promises to end a prolonged period of political uncertainty in Germany and pave the way towards a renewed “grand coalition”, a constellation that would make the rightwing populist party Alternative für Deutschland the leaders of the opposition. | The breakthrough promises to end a prolonged period of political uncertainty in Germany and pave the way towards a renewed “grand coalition”, a constellation that would make the rightwing populist party Alternative für Deutschland the leaders of the opposition. |
| The news outlet Spiegel reported that the Social Democratic party (SDP) had managed to secure the finance, foreign and labour ministries as part of the deal, marking a significant feat for the leader, Martin Schulz. | The news outlet Spiegel reported that the Social Democratic party (SDP) had managed to secure the finance, foreign and labour ministries as part of the deal, marking a significant feat for the leader, Martin Schulz. |
| Schulz is reportedly planning to hand his party leadership to former labour minister Andrea Nahles and move to the foreign ministry. | |
| The finance ministry, a key role for the future direction of the eurozone, could be headed by the current Social Democrat mayor of Hamburg, Olaf Scholz, seen as a pragmatic centrist. | |
| A boosted interior ministry with an additional focus on life in regional areas has reportedly been handed to Horst Seehofer of the CSU, the Christian Democrats’ sister party. | A boosted interior ministry with an additional focus on life in regional areas has reportedly been handed to Horst Seehofer of the CSU, the Christian Democrats’ sister party. |
| As well as staying in charge of Merkel’s chancellery, the Christian Democrats are said to have claimed the ministries for economy and defence. | As well as staying in charge of Merkel’s chancellery, the Christian Democrats are said to have claimed the ministries for economy and defence. |
| The CDU and the SPD have been in coalition talks since the first week of January after the collapse of Merkel’s attempt to form an unorthodox “Jamaica” coalition with the pro-business Free Democrats and the Green party. | The CDU and the SPD have been in coalition talks since the first week of January after the collapse of Merkel’s attempt to form an unorthodox “Jamaica” coalition with the pro-business Free Democrats and the Green party. |
| Deadlocks over employment law and SPD-proposed reforms to the multi-payer health service resulted in the CDU and SPD missing several deadlines they had set themselves. | Deadlocks over employment law and SPD-proposed reforms to the multi-payer health service resulted in the CDU and SPD missing several deadlines they had set themselves. |
| With the talks running into Wednesday morning, the chancellor had to postpone an official lunchtime meeting with Italy’s prime minister, Paolo Gentiloni, until the early evening. | With the talks running into Wednesday morning, the chancellor had to postpone an official lunchtime meeting with Italy’s prime minister, Paolo Gentiloni, until the early evening. |
| Once the two parties have officially presented their coalition agreement, the Social Democrats will allow their 460,000 members a vote on whether the party should formally enter a governing coalition with Merkel’s party. | Once the two parties have officially presented their coalition agreement, the Social Democrats will allow their 460,000 members a vote on whether the party should formally enter a governing coalition with Merkel’s party. |
| Schulz, whose party has played junior partner to Merkel’s in the government for the past four years, initially ruled out the possibility of another grand coalition under his leadership. | Schulz, whose party has played junior partner to Merkel’s in the government for the past four years, initially ruled out the possibility of another grand coalition under his leadership. |
| The SPD’s leadership faces opposition from a number of groups, including its own youth wing, the Young Socialists, who believe it should reinvent itself in opposition rather than seek another term in government. | The SPD’s leadership faces opposition from a number of groups, including its own youth wing, the Young Socialists, who believe it should reinvent itself in opposition rather than seek another term in government. |
| Only SPD members who joined the party before 6pm on Tuesday will be able to vote. At a special party summit in January, only a narrow majority of SPD delegates voted in favour of continuing coalition talks. | Only SPD members who joined the party before 6pm on Tuesday will be able to vote. At a special party summit in January, only a narrow majority of SPD delegates voted in favour of continuing coalition talks. |
| At the elections in September, the SPD plunged to its worst result since the second world war, winning just over 20%. And despite emerging as the strongest party, with 33%, the performance of Merkel’s CDU also disappointed supporters. | At the elections in September, the SPD plunged to its worst result since the second world war, winning just over 20%. And despite emerging as the strongest party, with 33%, the performance of Merkel’s CDU also disappointed supporters. |
| The Alternative für Deutschland’s role as the largest opposition party is a non-official one but it equips the party with a number of parliamentary privileges. | The Alternative für Deutschland’s role as the largest opposition party is a non-official one but it equips the party with a number of parliamentary privileges. |
| Migration emerged as a contentious political issue in Germany after 1.2 million people entered the country during the refugee crisis in 2015-16. The backlash against Merkel’s decision to keep open Germany’s borders resulted in a far-right party entering parliament for the first time in more than 50 years. | Migration emerged as a contentious political issue in Germany after 1.2 million people entered the country during the refugee crisis in 2015-16. The backlash against Merkel’s decision to keep open Germany’s borders resulted in a far-right party entering parliament for the first time in more than 50 years. |
| Germany | Germany |
| Angela Merkel | Angela Merkel |
| Europe | Europe |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |