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4w ago

German Coalition Talks Face Stalemate Over Migration and Budget Disputes

The CDU and SPD struggle to reconcile policy differences as AfD gains popularity and public support for the CDU declines.

German Chancellor-in-waiting and leader of the Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) Friedrich Merz walks on the day of the inaugural session of the German lower house of Parliament, in Berlin, Germany, March 25, 2025. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo
The leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz, the leader of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) Markus Soeder and the co-leader of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) Lars Klingbeil arrive to attend the main negotation group meeting for coalition talks between SPD CDU/CSU at the SPD headquarters in the Willy-Brandt-Haus in Berlin on March 28, 2025. ODD ANDERSEN/Pool via REUTERS
Parliamentary Group Leader of the Bavarian conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) party Alexander Dobrindt, the leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz and the co-leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Saskia Esken talk as they arrive to meet for talks on forming a coalition government at the SPD headquarters in the Willy-Brandt-Haus in Berlin on March 28, 2025. ODD ANDERSEN/Pool via REUTERS
13 March 2025, Berlin: Alice Weidel, leader of the AfD parliamentary group, speaks in the 213th plenary session of the 20th legislative period in the German Bundestag. In this and a subsequent special session of the old Bundestag, the CDU/CSU and SPD want to pass a special fund worth billions and a reform of the debt brake enshrined in the Basic Law. The aim is to invest in infrastructure and defense. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa (Photo by Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Overview

  • The CDU and SPD are negotiating a coalition agreement after February's federal election, with unresolved disputes over migration, economic priorities, and budget cuts.
  • CDU leader Friedrich Merz has softened his pre-election migration stance, focusing on integration and dual citizenship, drawing criticism from the far-right AfD.
  • The SPD advocates for migrant amnesty and integration policies, clashing with the CDU's preference for stricter border controls and deportations.
  • The coalition has agreed on a €1 trillion borrowing plan for defense and infrastructure investments but remains divided on taxation and spending cuts.
  • Recent polling shows declining support for the CDU, while the AfD has reached record popularity, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with mainstream parties.