Sunday December 21, 2025

German parties reach coalition deal, paving way for new govt

Published : 09 Apr 2025, 21:31

By Tom Tutton, dpa

Markus Soeder, Minister President of Bavaria, arrives in front of the CDU party headquarters before the start of the coalition negotiations between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. File Photo: Kay Nietfeld/dpa.

Germany's conservative bloc has reached a coalition agreement with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) to form the next government, sources from the three parties told dpa on Wednesday.

The deal follows weeks of arduous negotiations after the centre-right alliance - made up of Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union (CSU) - won parliamentary elections in February.

The 69-year-old Merz, a former rival of Angela Merkel, is set to become chancellor, replacing the outgoing Olaf Scholz.

The parties are set to hold a press conference at 3 pm (1300 GMT) to announce the details of the agreement.