Merz confirms push for centrist coalition after German election win – POLITICO
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Note: Without rounding, BSW’s result stands at 4.972 percent; Source: Bundeswahlleiterin
Merz confirmed that coalition negotiations were already in motion. He plans to meet with SPD leadership later on Monday, followed by discussions with outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the coming days. A government could be in place by Easter, he said, emphasizing the urgency of restoring stability after the collapse of the previous coalition last November.
The CDU leader laid out three key priorities for the upcoming government: bolstering European defense in light of shifting United States foreign policy, addressing migration challenges and securing Germany’s industrial base.
He argued that the SPD, unlike the Greens, shares the CDU’s concern over preserving industrial jobs — particularly in regions like Wolfsburg, home to Volkswagen.
The move toward a CDU-SPD coalition marks a return to Germany’s traditional grand coalition model, which ruled German under Angela Merkel for 16 years. However, putting Merz at the helm could shift the political balance further right. He framed the coalition as maintaining a firewall against political instability, as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to second place with 20.8 percent.
“Germany needs a functional government with a parliamentary majority,” he declared. “This election might be our last chance to restore public trust.”
Merz also mentioned Monday that his predecessor Merkel — a previous political rival who spoke out against Merz’s proposal to vote with the AfD to reform migration policy — has yet to congratulate him on his electoral success.