Germany updates: Conservative-led coalition signs agreement

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz wished his likely successor, Friedrich Merz, "much success, good fortune, and a steady hand" for his term ahead. 

Scholz was speaking at a traditional torchlight ceremony as the Bundeswehr, Germany's federal armed forces, bid him farewell.

"In difficult moments, which will certainly come as well, I wish you encounters that give you strength and confidence," Scholz told Merz, who attended the ceremony.

The highlight was the military marching band playing three songs picked by the chancellor, including Aretha Franklin's "Respect."

Scholz called the change of government an "expression of democratic normality."

"In these times, it is by no means normal for such a transition to take place so civilly, so collegially, and so decently, as we are experiencing here in Germany these days."

Earlier, Scholz vowed that Germany would continue supporting Ukraine in his final call with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Friedrich Merz is expected to be elected German Chancellor on Tuesday, a position he has long aspired to, DW's political correspondent Simon Yong explains.

His conservative CDU/CSU union and the center-left Social Democrats have signed a coalition deal, paving the way for his election65.

Merz's government will face several challenges, including addressing migration and the rise of far-right populism. But there are also tricky financial and fiscal decisions to be made, especially concerning Germany's economic strategy.

Former Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Frauke Petry has announced that she is preparing to create a new party and intends to run with it in 2026.

While preparing to establish the new party, "colleagues and I founded the 'Team Freiheit' (Team Freedom) association a few months ago," Petry told Die Welt newspaper.

"The gap in the party system is not between CDU and AfD, but in the gap [caused by the lack] of an anti-statist, pro-freedom option," the politican said.

"There is no party that demands what is urgently needed: a drastic reduction of the public spending quota to 25% in five years, i.e. minus 5% per year, and freedom of expression," Petry said.

The public spending quota is the ratio of a country's social spending to its economic output. This ratio was 49.5% in Germany last year.

Petry was the AfD party leader from 2013, but left in 2017 after failing to steer the AfD on a more moderate course.

The conservative CDU/CSU faction in the Bundestag has elected Jens Spahn as its new leader with a majority of over 90%. The 44-year-old former health minister will succeed current faction leader Friedrich Merz, who is set to be elected chancellor on Tuesday.

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and their sister party Christian Social Union (CSU) together have a total of 208 seats, making them the strongest faction in the 630-member parliament.

Merz and CSU leader Markus Söder had earlier nominated Spahn as the new faction chairman.

According to parliamentary sources, Spahn spoke briefly to the MPs about the relationship of trust that binds him to Merz.

Spahn also reiterated his dissociation from the AfD. "We have nothing in common with them," he was quoted as saying.

"Friedrich Merz enters the room with the tangible excitement of a man who knows he is just four signatures and a parliamentary vote away from becoming chancellor. A lifelong dream come true," DW's Michaela Kuefner reports from Berlin.

"It is not the first and not the last time we hear him promise an economic turnaround and a fresh take on German leadership.

But there is more. The four leaders on stage today know that they are not just signing up to the latest political marriage contract, that usually forms the basis for German governments.

They are also signing up to become the political team aiming to beat the far-right Alternative for Germany — now the country's strongest opposition force — which has just launched a legal battle against being labeled far-right extremist by Germany's domestic intelligence. 

In Germany's past, Bavaria's State Premier Markus Söder warns, it wasn't the strength of the radicals that propelled them to power, but the weakness of the democrats.

The last government failed over its weakness, following months of infighting. This one, it seems, is damned to succeed. Or else play into the hands of an ever more radical right."

The mayors of the German capital Berlin and Israeli city Tel Aviv are signing on Monday an agreement making them partner cities.

Berlin mayor Kai Wegner said the two cities want to expand their "outstanding cooperation," adding that they are linked by their common status as attractive hubs for young people, artists and company founders from across the world.

"With our partnership, Berlin and Tel Aviv are setting an example for tolerance, diversity, cohesion and humanity despite their very different historical backgrounds," Wegner said. 

Germany has 18 partnerships with cities across the world, including European capitals such as London, Paris and Warsaw.

The Berlin mayor's office website says the partnerships "provide institutional support for the internationalization of Berlin's economy and its scientific and academic institutions."

Wegner said that being the city where the Holocaust was planned, Berlin had a special responsibility and obligation toward Israel and protecting Jewish life.

The city partnership was approved in the wake of the Hamas October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. Hamas is designated as a terrorist group in Germany as well as other countries.

DW breaks down the Merz' government's top picks for you.

Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil

Party: Social Democratic Party (SPD)

Succeeds: Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) and Jörg Kukies (SPD) and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (of the Greens)

Background: Former leader of the SPD's youth wing.

Former roles: Served as constituency assistant to former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (though he later repudiated the former chancellor's pro-Moscow stance), served as SPD general secretary, then as party chairman (since 2017)

Notable stances: He once opposed scrapping some unemployment benefits, but later dropped this. He is also in favor of strengthening Germany's military.

Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul 

Party: CDU

Succeeds: Annalena Baerbock (of the Greens)

Former roles: German Bundestag member since 2009, deputy leader of the conservative CDU/CSU faction in parliament, responsible for foreign and defense issues

Notable stances: Widely seen as loyal to Merz and among his staunchest supporters. Jana Puglierin of the European Council on Foreign Relations expects he will steer the critical relationships with the US, China and Russia.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius

Party: SPD

Remains in office from the previous government.

Background: Pistorius is the only member of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's cabinet to take part in the new government as one of Germany's more popular politicians. 

Former roles: Interior minister in Lower Saxony (until 2023)

Notable stances: Pistorius has said Germany should be ready to face a war by 2029 due to increasing threats from Russi. He was nominated to become the SPD candidate for chancellor following the collapse of Scholz' coalition government last year, but he withdrew from the race when Scholz signaled he would run again.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt

Party: CSU

Succeeds: Nancy Faeser (of the SPD)

Former roles: Transport minister under former Chancellor Angela Merkel (from 2013 until 2017), Bundestag member since 2002

Notable stances: Outspoken supporter of curbing illegal migration, with a plan to tighten border control within the first week in office.

Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig

Party: SPD

Succeeds: Volker Wissing

Background: Former judge and public prosecutor

Former roles: Education minister in her home state of Rhineland-Palatinate, junior minister in the federal justice ministry

Notable stances: Hubig has often spoken about the need to increase efforts to combat antisemitism in Germany. She takes up the post amid growing calls for a ban on the far-right AfD party.

Economy Minister Katherina Reiche

Party: CDU

Succeeds: Robert Habeck (of the Greens)

Former roles: CEO of regional energy infrastructure firm Westenergie, former Bundestag member (from 1998 to 2015)

Notable stances: Reiche faces criticism over her former role as CEO of an energy infrastructure firm, with some saying her government post could pose a conflict of interest.

Chancellery Chief-of-Staff Thorsten Frei

Party: CDU

Former roles: Bundestag lawmaker since 2013, leading figure within CDU's parliamentary faction with a focus on interior and justice policy, mayor of the small town of Donaueschingen on the edge of the Black Forest (from 2004 to 2013)

Germany's conservative CDU/CSU union and center-left Social Democrats (SPD) party have signed a coalition deal paving the way for the swearing in of the new government on Tuesday.

The leaders of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), their Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) and the SPD signed the 144-page agreement, which was announced last month after a round of coalition talks.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz, who's set to be sworn in as chancellor on Tuesday, vowed ahead of signing the agreement that the three parties would "vigorously get to work."

"We know that it is our almost historical obligation to lead this coalition to success. We are determined to do this together."

CSU leader Markus Söder and SPD leader Lars Klingbeil echoed Merz' determination.

"This government must be successful," Klingbeil said before signing the coalition agreement. "It is up to us whether Germany shapes the new world order." 

Söder described the future coalition as a "community of responsibility." 

"It can and will be a strong team," he said.

Berlin has reiterated it "strongly rejects" criticism by US officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the BfV's decision to label the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as "right-wing extremist."

"I reiterate that the insinuations contained [in Rubio's comments] are certainly unfounded," Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer was quoted by French news agency AFP as saying.

Following the intelligence agency's decision, Rubio described the labeling as "tyranny in disguise." Other members of the Donald Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance and advisor Elon Musk, also condemned it.

The 60-year-old Wolfram Weimer is a journalist and publisher who has worked as editor-in-chief for the daily Welt and the weekly news magazine Focus among others. He also wrote the book: "The Conservative Manifesto."

He is a long-time ally of Friedrich Merz and describes himself as a "man of the center."

Germany's cultural scene reacted with skeptism. The "Ensemble Network" of performing artists launched a petitionagainst his nomination.

"Wolfram Weimer is not suitable for this central office of cultural policy. He is a conservative publisher who has hardly come out as a cultural figure," the petition read.

Weimer has rejected the criticism, telling the German news agency DPA that he aims to "strengthen and support the wonderfully rich cultural landscape" and to support its "extraordinary diversity."

Germany's incoming coalition government will be a "Catholic" government, the German Catholic news agency (KNA) reported on Monday, after surveying the religions of all the known members of the government.

According to KNA, at least ten members of Germany's new government are known to be Catholic, including incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The SPD has also nominated Chaldean Catholic Reem Alabali-Radovan to become development minister in the new government.

Three more members belong to Prostestant churches. Karin Prien, CDU's incoming family affairs minister, is set to become the first female Jewish minister, though she describes herself as "non-religious."

Six more ministers do not disclose their religion, KNA reported.

Germany's far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is filing a lawsuit against the domestic intelligence agency (BfV) after the latter labeled the party "right-wing extremist" last week.

Daniel Tapp, a spokesperson for AfD leader Alice Weidel, told the German DPA news agency that a letter to this effect was sent to the administrative court in Cologne.

In a statement on its website, the AfD said that shortly after the BfV labeling on Friday, it delivered a "warning" to the spy agency asking it to "refrain from classifying and/or categorizing and/or observing and/or dealing with and/or examining and/or conducting and/or publicly announcing the AfD" as a "right-wing extremist" movement.

Meanwhile, controversial AfD Thuringia parliamentary leader Björn Höcke came under fire for posting a warning to the BfV on his X profile. The post was later deleted.

The Holocaust memorial, an arrangement of 2,711 concrete steles in the center of the German capital Berlin, turns 20 this month.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe was established in an effort from Germany to stress its determination that the crimes of the Holocaust are not forgotten.

Also this month, the world prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII and the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Nazi Germany sparked World War II, with its many millions of deaths, and was responsible for the systematic murder of 6 million European Jews, as well as hundreds of thousands of other victims of Nazi terror.

On Monday, armed forces from NATO allies will join a procession in London, as part of wider events planned to mark Victory in Europe (VE) Day.

Personnel from the US, France and Germany were set to join the military procession, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying that this week's events were a reminder that victory was "not just for Britain." 

The parade will also symbolically include Ukrainian troops.

The four-day celebration will also involve a balcony appearance by the British royal family on Monday.

Officially, May 8 is known as VE Day.

The Social Democratic Party's (SPD) Matthias Miersch is set to lead the center-left party's parliamentary group, media reports suggested on Monday.

Germany's state broadcaster ARD and US digital newspaper Politico both reported that Miersch, who is currently the acting secretary general of the party, will become its parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag.

The party is set to present its ministerial line-up late this morning. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil is due to become vice chancellor and finance minister.

Some picks beginning to emerge also include:

• Boris Pistorius staying on as defense minister
• Former Bundestag President Bärbel Bas to become labor minister
• Rhineland Palatinate's Education Minister Stefanie Hubig to become justice minister
• Former SPD parliamentary group leader Verena Hubertz to become housing minister
• Anti-racism officer Reem Alabali-Radovan to become development minister
• Former Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany,  Carsten Schneider, to become environment minister

Christian Lindner, the leader of the neoliberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Germany's former finance minister, ran over a dog and killed him in an accident reported by German media.

Tabloid Bild said the former minister ran over a Norfolk terrier in the car park of an Italian restaurant in the capital Berlin.

The dog, believed to have belonged to film producer Wolf Bauer, was reportedly not on a leash at the time of the accident. Lindner told Bild he could not tell at first that the dog had died, with eyewitness reports suggesting the former minister could barely see the small animal.

Lindner has apologized for the incident.

The FDP leader's departure from outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz' coalition last November led to its eventual collapse and snap national election that was held in February.  

The pro-business party failed to meet the 5% threshold needed to get into parliament in the those federal elections.