Germany election: Right-left ‘grand coalition’ beckons

Continuing negotiations between the CDU/CSU and SPD in Germany during October 2013 suggested by the 17 October 2013 that a grand coalition between Germany's centre-right and centre-left parties had moved a step nearer, nearly a month after the general election on the 22 September 2013.

German Social-Democrats (SPD) have agreed to coalition talks with Angela Merkel and aim to form a new government by Christmas, further postponing any decisions on eurozone governance. However, they are taking a series of economic demands as preconditions to conclude the negotiations successfully. Labour market reforms and dual citizenship expansion were also said to be core items to a successful agreement.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Merkel reaches across Germany's political divide http://www.europeansources.info/record/merkel-reaches-across-germanys-political-divide/

ESO: Background information: German federal election, 2013 http://www.europeansources.info/record/german-federal-election-2013/

Spiegel Online International, 18.10.13: Coalition Face-Off: Tough Negotiations Lie Ahead http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/cdu-and-spd-politicians-face-tough-coalition-talks-ahead-a-928583.html

Die Welt, 18.10.13: Minimum wage tempts German social democrats into marriage with CDU (via PressEurop) http://www.voxeurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/4248951-minimum-wage-tempts-german-social-democrats-marriage-cdu

Deutsche Welle, 17.10.13: CDU/CSU and SPD meet for third round of exploratory talks http://dw.de/p/1A1XY

EUObserver, 21.10.13: New German government to form 'by Christmas' http://euobserver.com/political/121829

BBC News, 20.10.13: Germany's SPD backs Merkel coalition talks http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24600098

Deutsche Welle, 20.10.13: SPD agrees to negotiate coalition with Merkel http://dw.de/p/1A2qw

Deutsche Welle, 21.10.13: SPD on its way to a grand coalition http://dw.de/p/1A2vI

Deutsche Welle, 20.10.13: Impotent opposition to limp into parliament http://dw.de/p/1A2nS

EurActiv, 22.10.13: Germany's SPD backs coalition talks with Merkel, sets terms http://www.euractiv.com/elections/senior-spd-members-back-coalitio-news-531199

BBC News, 22.10.13: Record number of women MPs as German parliament meets http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24626276

Deutsche Welle, 23.10.13: CDU and SPD to begin coalition negotiations http://dw.de/p/1A4mJ

Spiegel Online International, 23.10.13: Preparing to Govern: Formal Coalition Talks Kick Off in Berlin http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/merkel-and-spd-begin-official-german-coalition-talks-in-berlin-a-929509.html

Deutsche Welle, 23.10.13: Social Democrat party members are skeptical of coalition talks http://dw.de/p/1A4w8

Spiegel Online International, 28.10.13: Coalition Talks: SPD May Drop Demand for Finance Ministry http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/spd-may-drop-demand-for-finance-ministry-in-coalition-talks-a-930474.html

Spiegel Online International, 30.10.13: Pushover Party: Social Democrats Must Not Give Up on Europe http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/commentary-social-democrats-should-fight-to-control-finance-ministry-a-930796.html

EurActiv, 04.11.13: SPD wants wage floor, dual citizenship included in German coalition deal http://www.euractiv.com/socialeurope/spd-wants-wage-floor-dual-citize-news-531477

Spiegel Online International, 05.11.13: Coalition Talks: Parties Take On Rent Hikes and Dual Citizenship http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/merkel-and-spd-agree-to-rent-controls-in-german-coalition-talks-a-931900.html

LSE EuroppBlog, 07.11.13: The polarisation of the German party system in the 2013 elections and the disappearance of the FDP explain the country’s tortuous coalition negotiations http://bit.ly/1cX3WH2

Spiegel Online International, 12.11.13: Spending Bonanza: The Eerie Harmony of Germany's Coalition Talks http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/parties-negotiating-to-form-a-new-german-government-must-be-tougher-a-933201.html

Spiegel Online International, 12.11.13: Tepid Talks: A Coalition Devoid of Vision http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-coalition-talks-show-no-sign-of-yielding-major-policies-a-933162.html

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