Germany's CDU And SPD Parties Have Reached A Coalition Deal To Govern The Country

DW: Germany's Angela Merkel finally reaches coalition deal with SPD

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.

Wednesday's key developments

* The SPD, CDU and CSU have agreed in principle on a coalition deal, but an SPD members' vote still awaits.
* SPD to now have three major portfolios: finance, foreign affairs, and labor.
* Bavaria's CSU, which advocates a tougher line on immigration than Chancellor Merkel, takes over the Interior Ministry.
* Merkel's CDU gains the Economy Ministry and smaller posts, but is giving up the influential interior and finance ministries.

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.

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WNU Editor: SPD party members must still vote through a mail-in ballot to give approval to this deal .... and many are opposed to it. But my prediction is that approval for this coalition is a given, and that both parties will split responsibilities. To begin, it looks like the SPD leader is going to have the foreign minister's job .... German SPD leader to head foreign ministry: Bild newspaper (Reuters).

More News On Germany's CDU And SPD Parties Reaching A Coalition Deal To Govern The Country

German parties reach coalition govt deal after long talks -- AP
Merkel's conservatives make big concessions to SPD in coalition deal -- Reuters
Germany's CDU and SPD parties reach coalition deal -- The Guardian
Germany coalition talks: Merkel's conservatives and SPD clinch deal -- BBC
After months of deadlock, Germany’s main parties agree to form a coalition -- Washington Post
Germany's Angela Merkel reaches breakthrough in coalition deal, paves way for new government -- ABC News Online