Friedrich Merz and Social Democrats take first steps toward German coalition

Friedrich Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union and likely next chancellor of Germany, has taken a significant step toward forming a governing coalition with the Social Democrats after initial negotiations proved successful (via Reuters).

The two parties, once bitter rivals in a fierce election campaign, now find themselves racing to finalize an agreement before next week, hoping to relax borrowing limits to stimulate economic growth and strengthen Germany's military.

Merz, eager to complete the coalition by Easter, has stressed the urgency of Europe taking charge of its own security in the face of a hostile Russia and growing uncertainty over the reliability of the United States under President Donald Trump.

Among the key sticking points in negotiations are migration policies, welfare spending, and whether to send long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine, a move Merz supports under specific conditions despite outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's resistance.

Merz has also vowed to introduce stricter border controls to curb illegal migration, boost economic growth to at least 1%-2%, and reduce energy costs to support German businesses. For now, it remains to be seen whether the two parties can finalize a deal.