person appeared on stage opened the envelope and said and the winner is and the winner was another grand coalition. government sixty six percent of the s.p.d. members voted for a repeat of a coalition with the conservatives of anglo-american and that is when that hollywood feeling went hollow reporters party officials everyone stood silent and looked as if they were waiting for someone else to react but no one reacted a muted moment unlike anything that we've seen in politics before here what if anything should we hear in all the quiet while our coverage begins tonight in the moments before hollywood went hush. credits of journalists and much anticipation at the social democrats headquarters after speculation about a close result all eyes were on the s.p.d. as it revealed its decision one hundred sixty days after germany's election but the mood inside restrained after the result was announced meet yana heart and thirty nine thousand six hundred four s.p.d. members voted in favor one hundred twenty three thousand three hundred twenty nine s.p.d. members voted no this corresponds to an approval of s

person appeared on stage opened the envelope and said and the winner is and the winner was another grand coalition government sixty six percent of the s.p.d. members voted for or. repeat of a coalition with the conservatives of anglo-american and that is when that hollywood feeling went hollow reporters party officials everyone stood silent and looked as if they were waiting for someone else to react but no one reacted a muted moment unlike anything that we've seen in politics before here what if anything should we hear in all the quiet while our coverage begins tonight in the moments before hollywood went hush. credits of journalists and much anticipation at the social democrats headquarters after speculation about a close result all eyes were on the s.p.d. as it revealed its decision one hundred sixty days after germany's election but the mood inside restrained after the result was announced meet john hart and thirty nine thousand six hundred four s.p.d. members voted in favor one hundred twenty three thousand three hundred twenty nine s.p.d. members voted no this corresponds to an approval of s

members vote against another grand coalition that is when we would see germany's political game change completely merkel she would also be left completely alone she would have run out of potential coalition partners and then she'd just be left with two alternatives either she forms of minority government which she's already rejected on several occasions all we could still even see new elections in may and so in the event of you know a surprising no vote how would that leave america in terms of her strength politically here in germany well of course already in the past few weeks we've seen her lining up or at least reportedly lining up a new successor after i click karrenbauer was appointed to the general secretary general of the c.d.u. that's merkel's party so it is clear that merkel is already preparing to leave. but what's expected if there is a no result is that merkel could in fact form that minority government which she has previously rejected but then it's possible that we could maybe see her step down early and not actually hold a full four year term in office but there's a twen

prognosis yet but it is expected to be tight of course both sides are used for and against another grand coalition with merkel's conservatives for a hard come pain and so we'll find out exactly whether we will have a third merkel lead grahams coalition tomorrow of course if the s.p.d. members do you vote against another grand coalition then we will be in uncharted waters here in germany and merkel will be left very much alone and then she'll have the options then of are them a minority government which would be president in germany and that's something which the chancellor has rejected on several occasions or we could also see fresh elections in germany so just have to wait until tomorrow to see what those results are ok you just mentioned walker potentially happen with the chancellor if this is a surprising no vote what happens within the asp i mean the stalwarts of the party are obviously optimistic that this will be asphalt but there are some difficulties there. of course if there is indeed a vote against the graham coalition then that in fact is really a vote of no confidence also against the

leadership actually pledged and called for members to vote for a grand coalition so that would in fact in effect be a voice of no confidence of no confidence but as we heard from earlier today the interim s.p.d. leader he too is hoping for a gram's coalition but he said that any result would hopefully help to continue to keep the s.p.t. united on of course that's something that this party is really struggled with in recent months especially since the election particularly this divide between the s.p.d. leadership and those grassroots members. of your correspondent kate brady thank you now the s.p.d. party leadership may be looking optimistically into a grand coalition but the same cannot be said for much of the party's younger base and twenty eight year old kevin kerner the head of the s.b.s. youth wing is leading the charge to reject the deal what chance american conservatives he's been canvassing voters around the country to vote no. he doesn't look like a revolutionary but kevin kuhn it may end up or reshaping german politics the twenty eight year old head of the social democrats yo

will be completely sidelined in another grand coalition. s.p.d. youth wing boss kevin cornered back in the spotlight he became the figure. head of the resistance against a grand coalition and despite his disappointment is reconsider your tory significant it is the democratic vote and of course we accept this result that we are not a sore losers and we will try to make the best of it can dispense to. andre knowledges the s.p.d. is most powerful woman at the moment is pleased with the result but doesn't want to say who will get which ministries. when will you announce the s.p.d. personnel line up on monday week from monday or maybe earlier but soon. people where's my car. how do the germans feel many are just happy to see a government take shape. we are going through a period of standstill in business as well as to and i believe that now there is security and soon we can begin making progress if it's good for the s.p.d. in the long run i don't know but how long that and fourth continue it's been months if they can push through everything they're pla

expectations are really really big because we've talked to a number of people who are not another grand coalition they would have preferred for example a coalition with the greens and the liberals and everything it seemed like there was no momentum for this coalition has this changed over the last you know i think for a european point of view we have to be absolutely yeah that's a new coalition agreement this is a grand coalition is an absolutely pro european one the first chapter is about the european union is a very positive one also thanks to modern shows i have to say he was also very keen on this very strong on this and the coalition talks missile liberals for example is lynn not so let me say a promising lead me to got to european issues that's why i think europe can be very happy with this coalition agreement it's a clear on the to the speech of mccraw he want to go forward speaking of my call it seems like it appears like if she's elected today it was just very likely i must add will visit my call in paris on friday probably what do the two need to talk about concerning europe the top pri

which is part of the grand coalition in germany and they're much closer to what might call once and that's no big surprise if you think of who actually helped craft the coalition deal that was mounted sure it's no longer around but former president of the european parliament so extremely pro european union but like i said most important thing from my craw government is government functioning government in germany is within reach ok so the franco german engine is looking like it's going to be purring along there but what about the rest of the continent how are leaders elsewhere in the e.u. viewing this result. you know terry we didn't have a whole bunch of reactions maybe they're waiting until this actually really happens in the next week or so but we had sean michel for example from belgium who is no stranger to coalitions taking a long time to form here in belgium and he said ok this is great now let's get on with it time is of the essence that that's what he tweeted on sunday and we also had the vice president of the european commission funds to months who is a social democrat himself wh

members still oppose another grand coalition and assume by the kids if we keep doing what we've been doing in a few months no one is going to ask what the s.p.d. managed to negotiate if it just looks like everything's the same under mama. until just party members to vote yes they'll be expecting the party leadership to make sure that doesn't happen it's moved to the hall from the coakley there won't be a negative result and i don't speculate about that at all hundred twenty people will tabulate the results through the night under the watchful eyes of a notary public. for more on this i'm joined by political correspondent kate brady kate thanks for joining us so the counting of the ballots has begun what happens now exactly sorry that is over the rest of the saving of a one hundred twenty volunteers down at the s.p.d. headquarters counting all of those ballots that were more than four hundred sixty three thousand eligible s.p.d. posh members who could vote on the future of this grand coalition between the social democrats and michael's conservatives now four years ago it was nearly fi

will be completely sidelined in another grand coalition as p.d.u. swing boss kevin cunard back in the spotlight he became the figurehead of the resistance against a grand coalition and despite his disappointment says it's one of the democratic vote and of course we accept this result we are not sore losers and will try to make the best of it. out of the germans feel many are just happy to see a government take shape. if they can push through everything they're planning gladly otherwise we will lections what could without a dentist now have on its part if it was due to the s.p.d. in the long run i don't know it's been months now. good for the s.p.d. or not no one knows for now but in any case it will benefit the coalition partner the christian democrats. this is no s.p. the result is a good basis in addition ninety seven percent support from the c.d.u. similar support from the c.s.u. a good coalition agreement and a good team that's good governance. the german president also satisfied germany will soon have a new government. it is simply good for our

voted yes to once again for general lyon's with anglo-american conservatives and form a so-called grand coalition two thirds of as p.d. members voted in favor of the coalition deal hammered out by their party leaders and their calls conservatives this gives the chancellor another term in office or fourth the new government could be in place in less than two weeks time. just ports now are there some tragic news from italy's football league syria or fear and unite captain david day a story has died. the club rather confirmed a story passed away overnight after what it was called a sudden illness the on play in florence the thirty one year old has also played for italy's national team he was found early this morning in his hotel room just hours before his club's match against luton they say all seven of syria's sunday matches have been postponed. and here in the bundesliga game of the week on saturday leipsic hosted dortmund in a key clash for the champions league slots the top half of the german league is so tightly bunched that a win could have done wonders for leipzig but instead they had to sett

to have their say without their support there would be no grand coalition the dortmund contingent wasdisappointed by the results of the talks some were afraid the alternative for germany would profit. i think our biggest responsibility is to go into the opposition and not give these people any ground let's go. on the eve of another special party convention this time in bonn all the delegates were taking up positions. should strive to stay at the helm as best he could. because he also as you can imagine tomorrow's party conference will determine our direction people feel great. need for discussion. this is the good news to go and you can really feel the tension i think both sides know that this decision will have far reaching consequences for the s.p.d. and for these it can go either way there's no magic formula to satisfy everyone to come to new space. and to. the center of the maelstrom was martin charlotte's few people knew he was feeling ill. in mind and i'll get my ice it would be irresponsible not to take his chance so i got even. if. just in my heart because you know whatever ha

get well speech time so these are important symbols but of course the big question is can the grand coalition the next edition of america's led coalition can they actually tackle the issues that the voters once tackled question off the future of digital infrastructure of the future of the labor market only if they manage to really office aleutians to voters will they be able to contain this so in right wing populism that we're seeing since september as elections. political correspondent you know has a thank you very much we're going out to brussels to look at the european picture with political correspondent barbara vai's all barbara there you are relief is the word of the day here is that the outlook from the e.u. powerbrokers. oakum pleat lee whew for relief you can say anything else congress relations from all sides particularly of course from paris where the french president. says now the decision of the social democrats was good news for europe with the belgian prime minister shouts michel he said that now is the time where germany has to show germany has to show some leadership in europ

this deal with chancellor merkel's conservatives why is the grand coalition is so unpopular among some of these s.p.d. members well it really comes down to this kind of profile and identity crisis that they see that the s.p.d. is facing right now very much like many of the social democratic parties across europe but what was even worse for germany social democrats was that for two of michael's coalition governments they've served with. conservatives and that's really had a bad effect on their profile now merkel moved her conservatives very much to the center and by doing so she was able to poach a lot of the s.p.d. proposals so you saw the s.p.d. the social democrats doing a lot of the legwork but not really profiting from it so right now a lot of party members of the s.p.d. party members are saying let's stand back and give ourselves time to renew and redefine our profile as a social democratic party well we wait to see what they'll decide on sunday kate brady thank you for joining us. time now for some of the other stories making news around the world amaldi based affiliate of al qae

youth leader kevin tonight didn't work against grand coalitions my party friends and we say the same not with us who cannot give internet is one of the rising stars of twenty seventeen no one saw him coming kind of probably not even he did to this extent. i think kevin kernot will represent a deep seated desire in the s.p.d. . t.v. news in short in a speedy it. was. before christmas and the map i was still germany's acting chancellor going about the rituals associated with the job and trying to give the impression that she still had everything under control. at the same time the german president was searching for other coalition alternatives some of the talks ended quickly my. years into opposites two and. we're in the opposition we have to ensure our voices are heard you know but we have no place in a government with the other parties in the bundestag and the apartheid is it's a good this for a lot of my. things were getting lonely for the most powerful woman in the world. she had built up that reputation in more than twelve years as german chancellor. but did she still have a futur

meanwhile only instead of the grand coalition we're getting warmed up outside the church or took out a video was recorded on video camera was organizing resistance to the party leadership and calling for a major internal reforms to the s.p.d. . the guns was this is a big day because it's the first time they s.p.d. has come together in a big way since the election disaster and we have a lot to talk about it was pleasant users of occupy jesus answered and spoke to rise and go your faith has made you well. to do the sunday people voted against the grand coalition on september twenty fourth and fifth as a gather we in the conservatives lost fourteen percent or less that's hardly a mandate for a new government in order to give all. the look at the homeless and the poor in our cities exposed to cold and scorn it's. a group of particularly critical s.p.d. members had traveled from documents to the capitol like the party's youth wing they were determined to stop the grand coalition. the pressure was mounting on schlitz and the rest of the s.p.d. leadership. on top of it so what is our positi

she will form a grand coalition a lot of observers have already said this morning it's a very small grand coalition and there's also been demonstrated in the election result today and she got three hundred sixty four votes which is only nine votes more than she actually needed and in other words thirty five members of our group of not voted for her but that will be forgotten very soon we'll see your. german government go back to normal very soon. will be the undisputed chance before the time despite the fact that she will not be real lectern for years at least this is what everybody thinks at this very moment in berlin but she will have a very mixed cabinet with you for this is some. known faces. can i just say that we're just seeing. the who's of course the president of the parliament and if i heard correctly he's just imposed a fine on a member of the bundestag for not sticking to the rules and for making his vote public we'll have to look at the details that but that would be the first. as we're watching a chance america has just been sworn in as we said find the president of the bunde

members who voted against it you know clearly saw in that lot of people not happy with the grand coalition some initial reactions yes a mixed bag you know but how do you see this result the fact that the social democrats have said yes we are going to enter another coalition government with chancellor merkel's conservatives i think i think both medical and then some kind of a relief but i think many people in the within the party will also be worried since you know within the c.d.u. medicare is being attacked frequently and recently so she's her position is slightly we can see she's in a coalition with a party that has a leadership crisis and a crisis about the political course. that could affect the efficiency of germany in europe so there is a lot of work ahead and it's not being sent that germany will keep this leading role in europe as they had in the last years a lot of work ahead and the timing was saying a lot of concerns about what that work is going to look like going for it michel coming back to you know what are the next steps you know we now do have we have passed the final hurd

most people here in your own book appear to be full of the grand coalition but the s.p. d.'s youth wing have for to get instant to the very last there are fears that the party could fracture along age lines. that the will to him will accept the results but it's crystal clear that the party needs renewal we have to discuss fundamental questions and we need a party reshuffle even though i often call home weeks later by the ideas of the needed ships put forwards that. party need to spend yesterday hoping to get that going your process going and that will continue today but any efforts to rejuvenating the party are dependent on what happens when the ballots are counted. or. if you're just joining us you're watching news our top story that we're covering for you the next step on the journey towards a new german government we are waiting to hear whether the social democrat rank and file as voted to either enter into another coalition with chancellor angela merkel's conservative or not and we will have full coverage and analysis of the story this morning with our team of correspond

difficult time to bring themselves to come around to the point where they would really enter a grand coalition i mean just to remind of what brought us here really germany was heading in a completely new direction and merkel was trying to forge a coalition with the pro-business free democrats and the green party which at the national level would have been something genuinely new a new political setup here in germany now that failed last moment because the free democrats pulled out they are suffering at the polls for it and then the only option that was left was kind of same old ground coalition which the social democrats now have to prove will not be same old what we saw and the lively debate that we saw to me is a sense that there really is people in the political scene we see a we enter reenergized political debate here in germany ever since that political earthquake the first one of course being the i'll turn to for germany the far right party entering the parliament in force in those september elections that changed the political landscape we saw more fragmentation and we're also seeing mo

frankly if the social democrats decided to discontinue what currently still is the so-called grand coalition with the social democrats and the democrats took a very different approach here we saw conservative c.d.u. delegates vote on that coalition agreement that marriage contract that already has been worked out this is the democrats got their entire grassroots to vote on this and this these certainly are people who are still feeling the pain not just of that election defeat of losing so badly in those elections but at the same time those continued promises of really wanting to go back to the cool values of the social democrats they really are in a complete crisis there over what they stand for and they feel that certainly merkel played her part in diminishing the social democrat core value base into simply becoming a junior partner in a coalition that keeps being led by a german chancellor angela merkel so this is a question of of heart over head if they voted with their.

i've always been skeptical of the grand coalition and still am.so i understand and accept the objections. but you have to ask, is there any real alternative? if everything goes wrong, we could face a debacle in the next elections. and the probability is extremely high, because the entire electorate would hold us responsible. >> to fabian, that sounds like committing suicide for fear of dying. he says his father's afraid to give the social democrats a new orientation. >> whatever social democracy is, that's where i want to see this society go. that's our concept of humanity, that's our idea of co-existence, that's our vision of solidarity and social justice. >> but in the weeks to come, the social democrats will first have to focus on keeping the party together -- on everyone closing ranks and staying in line. one member sums up the spd's situation. >> regrettable, but we have ourselves to blame. >> but could a grand coalition itself perhaps help the party get back on its feet? spd deputy chairman ralf stegner believes that in the end, the rank and

it's her third time in a grand coalition the social democrats. it took a while for merkel to win over the s.p.d. but in the end the junior partners offered their congratulations. to the chancellor remains the chancellor and that's cause for happiness and i think this is good news for the citizens of our country and good news for europe. who did nothing. but at least thirty five members of merkel's coalition failed to support her in the end her margin of victory was nine votes including her own in a parliament of seven hundred nine deputies that's hardly a dream start to the latest magical government. husband. put in a first appearance at such an election and merkel's next cabinet is also new in many respects the numerical government is noticeably younger and includes more women than previous ones its main priorities. we need to ensure domestic security and the welfare of society we need to figure out how to positively tackle the challenges of global competition. after the been a staff vote merkel was sworn in by german president. one hundred seve

we are forming a grand coalition. and this is a strong core of the coalition agreement for the little people and this country and that means not the elites that means most of the people in the society we are working to afford them. spots. job security shift the promise of full employment a basic pension pension for play time spent raising children increasing benefits for families a legal right to full time care and primary school easing the tax burden on small and medium enterprises. optional for many will no longer have to pay these solidarity tax for eastern german states a pact for education and improving conditions the amount people can earn when they're on the pension and proving nursing care eight thousand new jobs will be created and nursing care for adults will be improving the health care provision particularly in rural areas and we will be tackling the issue of affordable housing. because it's all now i have negotiated many coalition agreements in my time and i cannot remember a single one. that focused so mu

members who voted against it you know clearly saw in that lot of people not happy with the grand coalition some initial reactions it's a mixed bag you know but how do you see this result the fact that the social democrats have said yes we are going to enter another coalition government with chancellor merkel's conservative things i think both medical and then some kind of a relief but i think many people in the within the party will also be worried since you know within the c.d.u. has being attacked frequently in recent days so she's her position is slightly weakened says she's in a coalition with a party that has a leadership crisis and a crisis about the political course. that could affect the efficiency of germany in europe so there is a lot of work ahead and that's not being sent that germany will and keep this leading role in europe as they had in the last years a lot of work ahead and this time it was saying a lot of concerns about what that work is going to look like going for it michel coming back to you know what are the next steps you know we now do have we have passed this final

coalition among the members of the democratic party really are in a lukewarm support of this grand coalition one third of the party has expressed clear disdain for these coalition and these are the democratic party is torn between the party functionaries and party elites who are in favor of more migration of multicultural society in favor of this grand coalition and those ordinary members of the social democratic party of those would be a responsibility on the level of local politics who really feel that we have had too much immigration of the past of the who are a change of german domestic policies but what we are going to face is a right to a christian social the minister of the interior who wants to decrease immigration into germany and a left wing minister of justice who wants to avoid this reduction in the number of immigrants to germany and zero this government will bring itself into agreed lock or at least in continuous tensions among supporters of this coalition ok professor of political science and technical in a vast array of president anna had style thank you very much prayer expe

infrastructure but we can expect some very lively debates to put it mildly in this new so-called grand coalition of conservatives on the social democrats and michele that just because you mentioned you know what exactly is in this coalition agreement give our viewers an idea of what happens now i mean this was a huge moment we were all waiting for.

by what sort of margin did the social democrats agree to join mrs merkel in what's known as a grand coalition. martin in a pretty clear margin two thirds to one third the party members have voted what you might say decisively in favor of another grand coalition with angle americal and the point to make is that there isn't really a sense of jubilation amongst the the rank and file or indeed amongst the the leadership here of the social democrats hearing with the prime minister of the minister president of the state of hamburg so he's not got his hands in the air he's not overjoyed at this result this is because this is basically a decision of the head that the social democrats have made rather than the hearts of the people who in conferences up and down the country over the past few months have been saying they don't want another coalition with angela merkel was saying that they feel that being in government with her party is costing this party votes they feel that they have to try to renew their their mission their party's mission but at the moment at least given the decisiveness of this resu

social democrats struggled for a long time with the question of their participation in a new grand coalition. coalition in germany it did not start as a love match but. the cd it was serious use and s.p.d. although they are and will remain fundamentally different parties will still be able to work constructively together and probably. the third coalition partner the bavarian c.s.u. calls this a grand coalition for the common people. the keywords job security with the promise of full time employment a basic pension pension credits for stay at home parents and stabilization of pension levels was the opposition parties describe the coalition agreement in negative terms protesting the future government's programme. that what you do and there are major gaps in this coalition agreement especially when it comes to future challenges about climate protection does not feature in it. mrs merkel has once again been able to use money as a brick and to build up a coalition a coalition that refuses to set a clear course for the renewal of this country. do it because i mean if there's one central idea in th

member vote on joining chancellor angela merkel's conservatives in a grand coalition will be revealed if it's know it could mean a grand crisis instead one thing is clear the vote could be tight the most recent poll suggests that fewer than half of those surveyed are keen on another grand coalition government between the conservatives and center left s.p.d. just over half say they're firmly opposed to it by comparison chancellor merkel who emerged weakened from germany's election still enjoys support. just over half of those polled said they would welcome another term in office. while just under half are opposed. the chancellor's conservative alliance notched up a bit of support if new elections were held on sunday they would get over a third of the vote puts them well ahead of the s.p.d. who are showing below twenty percent while the right wing a.f.d.c. comes in at fifteen percent the greens are holding at eleven percent followed by the business friendly f.t.p. and the left party at nine percent each. if those results were confirmed new elections would spell disaster for the social d

be sworn in as a fourth term as german chancellor next week and she will be at the head of a grand coalition government made up of the two biggest parties, the chancellor's on conservatives and the social democrats. people are asking, how wouounded is angela merkel after recent setbacks a and is she a waning force to mystically and internationally? so, our question here this week on quadriga is merkel 4.0: still the power frau? even if her power is on the decline, we are talking about the most influential female politician in the world and that is on march 8, international women's day. i am joined in the studio by three female commentators. let me introduce them to you. she is with the w, on our arab language desk. while the social democrat coalition partners struggled to revise their fortunes, the chancellor can work calmly on her legacy. angela merkel is far from wounded. also with us is nina. she argues that angela merkel must take the hand of emmanuel macron. they only have a narrow window of opportunity to keep the eu together. serious stuff. also with us is the author and journalist fo

fourth term as german chancellor next week and she'll once again be at the head of a color a grand coalition government made up of the two biggest parties the chancellors of the conservatives and the social democrats now people are asking how wounded is angela merkel after recent setbacks and is she awaiting force to mystically and internationally so a question here this week on quadriga is merkel four point zero still the power for zero and even if her power is perhaps a little bit on the decline we are talking today about the most influential female politician in the world and that's on march the eighth international women's day and i'm joined here in the studio by three female commentators let me introduce them to you beginning with my soon to melanie who is with d.w. she saw no arab language desk syrian born my son says while her social democrat coalition partner struggled to revive their fortunes the chancellor can work calmly on her legacy angela merkel is far from wounded also with us is d w public political correspondent and meet argues that angle americal must take the hundred to ma

of profile in the future so we made some head for some very hot debates within that so-called grand coalition despite the rather extensive marriage contracts here ok so clearly chancellor merkel is pleased that her would be coalition partner has said yes she has to be formally confirmed in office as chancellor of course she referred to hoping that she would get the vote in parliament to be confirmed as chancellor that's pretty much a foregone conclusion so what happens next exactly when will germany get a fully functioning government mccain. well the short answer is the fourteenth of march then that's when we expect to be elected by the in this talk to these hanumant then she can appoint all the ministers formally and those i expect to be sworn in the very same day the more detailed answer is that the president will now propose to parliament for that vote that we will learn this week from the social democrats their six ministers in that cabinet will be today would you to learn from that c.s.u. the conserves have been very insistent positive angle americans posses so it should all be up and ru

well the grand coalition up for a vote this weekend as part of our monthly look at what germans think about politics and their politicians we have the latest survey by pollsters in for tests for german public broadcaster error d. in among its key takeaways most germans are dissatisfied with the prospect of another grand coalition and most think that one of the parties on the macro has drawn in the form a majority is not fit to govern let's start with how germans would vote if an election were held today merkel's conservative bloc would get thirty four percent a slight increase the social democrats gaining two percentage points but remaining at a low of eighteen percent the far right alternative for germany party remaining the third strongest party of fifteen percent the greens fall to eleven percent the pro-business free democrats would get nine percent so would the left party. ok let's break it all down how did have you political correspondent simon young good morning simon simon what's what's behind the steady downward trend for for the social democrats a party that we have to imagi