Friedrich Merz set to become Germany's next chancellor after coalition approval

Germany's center-left Social Democrats have approved a coalition agreement that enables Friedrich Merz of the center-right Christian Democratic Union, who won the election, to be elected as chancellor. The coalition aims to address various key priorities, including economic growth, increased defense spending, stricter migration policies, and modernization of infrastructure, which is increasingly necessary given the EU's growing challenges. This coalition was formed after Merz's party secured a leading position in February's election with 28.5% of the vote, while the Social Democrats, led by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, managed only 16.4%, their worst performance since World War II. The Social Democrats' support is critical since, without it, a parliamentary majority would be unattainable without the far-right Alternative for Germany party. The passage of the coalition agreement came after internal polling showed that a significant majority of the Social Democrats supported joining the coalition, despite some dissent among the members. This coalition has a modest majority of 328 out of 630 seats in the Bundestag, positioning Merz for a key ruling role in Germany's future and in European politics. With the election date set for May 6, the political landscape in Germany is on the brink of significant change under Merz's leadership.