Overview

• Friedrich Merz, the likely future Chancellor, has proposed alternative names such as 'black-red working coalition' and 'coalition of renewal and progress' to replace the term 'GroKo'.
• The planned CDU/CSU-SPD coalition would represent only 45-46% of the vote, the lowest share for such a coalition in German history.
• Coalition negotiations remain unresolved in key areas, including migration, taxes, and finances, with working group results due by 17:00 on March 24, 2025.
• The term 'GroKo', popularized during Angela Merkel's third term, has drawn criticism from Merz for no longer reflecting the coalition's reduced parliamentary majority.
• Opposition parties have mocked the coalition, suggesting names like 'KleiKo' (small coalition) and 'SchuKo' (debt coalition), highlighting political tensions.