Cnn
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The German Chancellor Pending Friedrich Merz unveiled a new coalition agreement between the two main centrist parties of the country in a bold and optimistic speech in Berlin on Wednesday, a few hours after being announced that an agreement to form a new government had been concluded.
The pressure was between the Christian Democratic Christian Center (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party of Center-Gauche (SPD) to reach an agreement while the greatest economy in Europe shortened on the verge of recession after having swept tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
The agreement was presented by Merz, chief of the CDU, who became winner in the February federal elections. The press conference was also the leader of the Bavararian party of the CDU, Christian Social Union (CSU), Markus Soeder and the co-leaders of the Social Democratic Party of Center-Gauche (SPD) Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil.
Speaking during a press conference, Merz exposed a vision of a Germany restored to its old strength and reliability. “The future government, the future coalition, will reform and invest to maintain stable Germany, make it safer and make it economically stronger,” he said. He added that Europe would be able to “count” on Germany.
Merz continued that coalition negotiations had been carried out “in a situation of growing political tensions in the world” and at a time when many external forces do not work with Germany, but against it.
“The war in Ukraine continues tirelessly, the Russian aggressor (President Vladimir) Putin shows no desire to end the war and to silence arms, and at the same time, economic uncertainties increase enormously-just this week of decisions by the American government have sparked new turbulence, we can observe the reaction in real time, then to speak,” he said, ”
Unveiling the details of the agreement, Merz said the new coalition would extend the time to obtain German citizenship at least five years – against at least three years earlier.
He also talked about the need to improve Germany’s foreign and interior security policies, in particular by considerably increasing Germany’s defense spending and creating a Speed -style voluntary military service system.
The Chancellor waiting for Friedrich Merz came out victorious during the February vote, but failed to win a majority, with the extreme right alternative for Germany (AFD) which reached second place and almost doubled its supporters base.
Since then, the CDU / CSU has been locked up for weeks in formal coalition discussions with the SPD – the other main centrist party of Germany, which came third to the vote and had led a coalition government to three until its collapse in November 2024.
The pressure in Berlin to conclude an agreement had only done with broader uncertainty, in particular the introduction by the Trump administration of radical import prices which reshaped world trade. Merz has promised to rekindle the greatest economy in Europe if it becomes chancellor, after years of unusual stagnation.
Continuous support for AFD, as the elections also allowed talks with a feeling of urgency. An Ipsos survey published Wednesday has shown that the far right comes first for the first time, landing on 25%, ahead of the CDU with 24%.
“For the first time in the history still-young of the AFD, we are the strongest force in Germany. Thank you for your great confidence – political change will come! ” The AFD co-leader, Alice Weidel, wrote in an article on X alongside the conclusions of the survey.
Merz has also been committed to stimulating the country’s defense spending, while Europe is faced with the threat of Russia and the United States adopting a more hostile position for European security. Berlin reformed his so-called “debt braking” in order to loosen the borrowing limits and allow new investments in the defense.
Merz has promised to considerably strengthen the immigration policies of Germany following a series of attacks perpetrated by migrants who catapulted the question in the 2025 elections.
