Germany’s Social Democrats voted Sunday to push forward on formal coalition talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc, increasing the likelihood of another “grand coalition” between the country’s two largest political parties.
The decision came at a special party convention in the former West German capital of Bonn after several hours of often emotional debate over the direction of the party. The vote — 362 in favor, 279 against, with one abstention — was closer than the SPD’s leadership, which pushed hard for a “Yes” vote, had hoped.
If approved, the government would be Germany’s third grand coalition since 2005.
With the next phase of coalition talks likely to take two to three weeks, and the SPD insisting on putting the coalition treaty that will emerge from it to a vote among its members, the waiting for a new German government capable of making decisions is likely to continue until the end of February.
Germany has struggled to form a government since its elections in September 2017.
