Germany s SPD votes in favour of coalition with Merkel

Berlin March 4 (IANS) Members of Germany s Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Sunday voted in favour of a coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel s conservatives.

Over 66 per cent voted "yes" Dietmar Nietan head of the SPD Mandate and Counting Commission announced at a press conference at the SPD Headquarters.

The 463 723 party members had between February 20 and Friday midnight to decide if they approved of their party again being part of a government led by Merkel reports Efe news.

The conditions of the pact and the concrete measures that will be implemented were detailed in a 177-page deal that was negotiated between January and February.

It includes key proposals of the SPD and assigns major ministries such as finance and foreign affairs to the SPD.

The result ended a five-month-long political stalemate after the September 24 2017 Federal Parliament elections.

Merkel is poised to be elected as the new chancellor in the March 14 plenary session of the Bundestag the Federal Parliament.

--IANS
ksk/bg