Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) supported a coalition agreement with CDU/CSU conservatives on Wednesday, in the final stage for the formation of a government in Europe’s largest economy, and appointed their leader Lars Klingbeil as finance minister.
SPD support paves the way for election winner Friedrich Merz to become chancellor on May 6, after their conservative co -religionists won the federal elections in February, but did not get most.
Both SPD and conservatives discard the possibility of governor with the extreme right-hand alternative party to Germany, which obtained a history of second place.
The pressure for the formation of an operant government has acquired a new urgency in a moment of weakness from the German economy, increased unemployment and global turbulence caused by US President Donald Trump’s import tariffs.
In the last two weeks, SPD members voted in the coalition treaty prepared by the leaders of both parties.
In the vote, which ended on Tuesday shortly before midnight, 84% of the members who participated were in favor of the agreement, the party said, adding that 56% of about 360,000 members participated in the vote.
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“In these very difficult times in global politics, we have responsibility for our safety, economic growth, job assurance and equal opportunities,” said Party Secretary-General Matthias Miersch.
The party agreed to nominate its colicer Klingbeil as deputy chancellor and finance minister, Miersch added to a press conference at the Berlin party base.
The party will appoint six other positions in the cabinet that is entitled until May 5. Boris Pistorius, the popular defense minister of the previous government, will probably keep his position.
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“I believe we now come to the end of a process that will culminate next week with the formation of a stable government in the Federal Republic of Germany,” Miersch said.
Reviving Europe’s largest economy is one of the main priorities of Germany’s upcoming government, especially due to fears that a trade war triggered by Trump’s tariff ads could further impair its export -oriented economy.
