Germany: Merkel and SPD agree on coalition government
It was confirmed by party officials on Wednesday morning that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the Social Democrats had agreed on a coalition agreement. According to the report compromises were reached on the issues of minimum wage, pension reforms, the dual-citizenship right for Germany-born individuals of Turkish descent and imposition of a road toll on foreign drivers.
Party leaders and their negotiation teams reached a deal after 17 hours of negotiating in the final round of talks.
It is also reported that Conservatives and Social Democrats have agreed on the introduction of a nationwide legally binding minimum hourly wage of 8.5 euros, but delayed its implementation until early 2015. The minimum wage has been one of the key promises of the SPD during its election campaign.
On the dual citizenship right of people born in Germany to Turkish immigrant parents, Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) have accepted SPD’s demand.
According to the coalition agreement, Turks born in Germany will have the right of dual citizenship. The SPD had long criticized the current practice of “option model,” which demands that immigrants’ children choose between Turkish or German citizenship by age 23.
The CDU and CSU had long opposed the dual citizenship right of the children of Turkish immigrants, fearing it would undermine their loyalty to Germany and integration efforts.
The Social Democrats are set to hold a mini-referendum early next month on the coalition agreement and the party’s leadership will seek to acquire the approval of 470 thousand SPD members for the deal with Merkel’s CDU/CSU alliance. The results are expected to be announced on December 15.
The CDU/CSU alliance and SPD will decide on the cabinet, and ministerial posts will be made after the Social Democrats vote.
27.11.2013
SOURCE: MEDIA
