Agency Report –
Berlin – Differences remain between Germany’s traditional parties as they seek to form a government in Berlin, a leading conservative lawmaker said on Monday.
Following elections last month, the conservative CDU/CSU bloc – made up of Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union – is in coalition talks with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Negotiators are under pressure from business leaders at home and international partners abroad to find a rapid agreement and form the next German government as soon as possible.
The parties have already achieved a quick breakthrough on finance, passing a landmark package including a constitutional reform to hike spending on defence and a €500 billion ($542 billion) fund for infrastructure and climate protection through the outgoing German parliament last week.
However, negotiations to establish a formal coalition are still ongoing, with presumptive chancellor Merz hoping for a government to be in place by the Easter holidays in April.
Ahead of a meeting in Berlin on Monday, senior CDU/CSU parliamentary leader Thorsten Frei said the parties have “different views on both the migration issue and domestic policy as a whole.”
Compromises will be possible, but it would be “way too early to say anything concrete,” said Frei.
The comments came ahead of an internal deadline for 16 working groups negotiating on a series of policy issues to submit written summaries of their progress by 5 pm (1600 GMT).
Sticking points are set to be examined in smaller groups featuring the parties’ leaders this week.
Frei said that despite external pressure for a quick deal, “thoroughness is clearly more important than speed.”
“It is more important that we now create a good basis for a successful government for Germany,” he argued.
