7 hours agoCoalition agreement reached, Merz: Germany to get a strong and effective government
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)German CDU conservatives/ CSU under potential future Chancellor Friedrich Merz agreed to a coalition agreement with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Wednesday, with the aim of revive Europe's biggest economy just as a global trade struggle threatens recession. The deal includes weeks of deals between Merz and the SPD, [...]
The deal includes weeks of deals between Merz and the SPD, as it came first in the elections held in February, but failed to win a majority since the far-right AfD party moved to second place, writes The Guardian.
At a coalition press conference in Berlin that he opened, Merz said that the coalition has “a strong plan” as a result of the negotiations, which will send a clear “ ” to both Germans and European partners that “German will have a strong and effective “government”.
Investments, migration, security are among the first priorities, Merz said.
Presenting the draft of the deal reached, Merz speaks of its focus on bringing more investment with changes in corporate and energy taxes and incentives promoting the economy.
It then passes on to migration policy, promising “a new course of” with a set of stricter policies targeting “end irregular migration” through stricter border controls, tightening asylum rules and pushing for repatriation of those who have entered Germany illegally.
He also says the new government will suspend family union rules and increase the number of countries classified as safe. It also hints of changes in citizenship rules to slow them down, with naturalisation as early as possible after five years, follow through. Periscope.
Addressing the security theme, it lists the proposed new policies, including data storage, and says it will create a new Federal Security Council, based on the Chancellor's Office, to manage national crises.
It also promises higher expenses for defence and security, and hints at a proposal to strengthen military service on voluntary grounds.
Merz confirms that the negotiated text between them will now be handed over for approval by both sides.
He says the agreed text is the result of “consultations and intensive negotiations”, while thanking the negotiating teams for their work.
Merz said he preferred to approve changes to the German Constitution only after the government's formation, but this was not an option with changes to parliamentary arithmetic.
