Overview

• The CDU's national committee approved the coalition agreement with the SPD and CSU, finalizing the party's commitment to the new government.
• Friedrich Merz unveiled a cabinet featuring Johann Wadephul as Foreign Minister, Alexander Dobrindt as Interior Minister, and Katherina Reiche as Economic Affairs Minister.
• The SPD's member referendum on the coalition agreement is expected to conclude on April 30, determining the final step before Merz's chancellorship vote in the Bundestag.
• The proposed cabinet balances political experience with external expertise, including corporate leaders like Karsten Wildberger for the newly created Digital Ministry.
• Criticism has emerged over the exclusion of the CDU's social wing and the perceived regional imbalance in ministerial appointments.