GERMANY’S Social Democratic Party has voted in favour of joining a coalition with Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc, clearing the last major hurdle to the formation of a new government and a fourth term for the German Chancellor.
The decision ends almost six months of uncertainty in German politics, the longest the country has been without a government in its post-war history.
The centre-left Social Democrats had furiously debated whether to extend the so-called grand coalition for another four years after suffering heavy losses in September’s election.
In the end, two-thirds of the valid votes cast by its 464,000 members favoured a coalition deal, said party treasurer Dietmar Nietan, who oversaw the ballot.
“This was a really important democratic decision for our country,” acting party leader Olaf Scholz told reporters in Berlin.
The Social Democrats will put forward six names - three women and three men - to lead the ministries they will control in the upcoming coalition in the coming days, he said.
Parliament is expected to meet next week to elect Merkel as Chancellor.
Activists at the Social Democrats’ headquarters in Berlin had worked through the night to count the votes.
A “no” vote would have been a blow for the party’s leadership - who campaigned for members’ approval - and for Merkel, who spent months negotiating with rival parties to form a new government.
After September’s election, in which the Social Democrats received just 20.5 per cent of the vote, then-leader Martin Schulz ruled out another grand coalition with Ms Merkel.
This forced Merkel to negotiate with two smaller parties, one of which eventually rejected a deal.
Pressure from German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier prompted Schulz to rethink and weeks of haggling between his party and Merkel’s bloc resulted in a coalition agreement.
Fewer Social Democrats approved the deal this time round than in 2013, when 76 per cent of members backed a government with Merkel.
Many Social Democrats, particularly on the left, had argued that the party failed to make its mark on the last government and would not benefit from propping up Merkel for another term.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel