Two of Germany’s largest parties have made a deal to form a government, keeping the far right out of power, as Europe faces the potentially catastrophic impacts of the United States tariffs.
Friedrich Merz’s conservative CDU/CSU party which emerged as the biggest party in Germany’s latest election, has struck an alliance with the centre-left SPD.
They also unveiled a 146-page “Responsibility for Germany” roadmap that promises tax cuts and a tougher stance on migration.
“[It’s] a very strong and clear signal to the citizens of our country. And it is also a clear signal to our partners in the European Union,” Merz said.
“Germany is back on track.”
The compromise package, which Merz hopes to have completed by Easter, must win major approval among the SPD’s 357,000 members via an online ballot as well as from the leadership of the CDU and CSU, known as the Union parties.
Merz said the border policy would “effectively put an end to irregular immigration” and aim to cooperate with neighbours to turn back people at the frontier.
However, SPD co-leader Lar Klingbeil, who is expected to become vice-chancellor insisted that the government would work on the principle that the “basic right to asylum remains inviolable” and that “Germany is a country of immigration” that benefits socially and economically from newcomers.
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