Germany’s fractious ruling coalition hails ‘constructive’ talks

The crisis meeting late Wednesday came as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) soars to new heights in national polls, while the chancellor’s popularity ratings remain at record lows.

Key figures from Merz’s conservative CDU/CSU bloc and his junior coalition partners, the centre-left SPD, spent the evening in a “positive and constructive atmosphere”, according to a message sent out by those involved.

“We are aware that our democracy is currently facing a historic test,” senior lawmakers said in a text message sent to other MPs, adding that they were “firmly determined not to abandon our country to extremists”.

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The governing coalition parties also agreed that “economic growth, job security, and social cohesion must remain at the heart of the upcoming agenda”, it said.

The lawmakers at the talks — the SPD’s Matthias Miersch and the conservatives Thorsten Frei and Alexander Hoffmann — said the coalition is aiming to “swiftly finalise reform projects” that have been stalled for months.

Disagreements have held up Merz’s agenda for overhauling Germany’s social welfare programmes, including pension reforms and an overhaul of the old age care system.

Proposed cuts are unpopular with the SPD’s left wing, who have grown particularly restive as Merz’s popularity has plunged — even as the deadlock has made more voters sour on the coalition.

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Adding to the mutual suspicion is speculation that some in Merz’s conservative bloc may be open to breaking taboos to ally with the far-right AfD, though Merz has firmly opposed any such move.

Merz’s conservatives, meanwhile, have angrily criticised the SPD for considering a local alliance with the far-left Die Linke in Berlin.