Berlin, February 17, 2025 – Following Sunday's general election, conservative leader Friedrich Merz is working to establish a new coalition government within eight weeks, according to local media reports.
Bild newspaper reported that Merz initiated informal preliminary talks by contacting Social Democratic Party parliamentary group leader Lars Klingbeil on Sunday night, signaling an eagerness to explore coalition possibilities.
The Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) emerged as the clear winner with 28.5% of the vote, yet they fell short of an absolute majority necessary to govern alone. In response, Merz has ruled out any coalition talks with the far-right AfD, which secured 20.8% of the vote—their best performance to date—citing fundamental differences on democratic principles and key policy issues.
Despite the Social Democrats receiving only 16.4% of the vote, their party is seen as a potential coalition partner. Media reports suggest that a CDU/CSU-SPD alliance would command 328 seats in the Bundestag, exceeding the 316 seats required for a majority. Informal discussions among top party officials have reportedly begun ahead of the upcoming Easter holiday, with plans for formal exploratory talks to start on or after March 6. This delay is partly attributed to regional elections taking place in Hamburg this weekend.
Merz has indicated that his goal is to have a new coalition government in place by mid-April, a timeline that would ensure continued political stability as the country transitions from the election period. As coalition negotiations progress, the focus remains on securing a stable majority while upholding democratic values and addressing key policy challenges.
Saudi Arabia’s air defences have intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone over the Riyadh region, according to the Saudi-led coalition fight...
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Chât...
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said....
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Châtelet-Les Halles areas from 11pm Saturday until 6am Sunday (1 November).
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education and living costs. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, as a hostile group, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment