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Conservative leader German Chancellor Angela Merkel is betting on a coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) to extend her powers for a fourth term after her initial attempts to form a coalition with two smaller parties failed in November.
But many of the SPD oppose repetition of the "great coalition" that has been in power for the past four years. They fear that it will weaken the left-centrist party even more, which, following the elections in September, achieved the worst result since 1933.
Some members of the SPD are also afraid that the new "great coalition" will lead to the fact that the main opposition party in the country after that will be the extremely right-wing "Alternative for Germany" (AfD).
Immigration is one of the most sensitive topics in the negotiations. The German newspaper RND published the working group’s document during the preliminary negotiations, which states that the parties agreed that qualified workers should be encouraged to move to Germany.
More than a million migrants, many of whom fled the conflict in the Middle East, have arrived in Germany since mid-2015 and have faced great difficulties in trying to find a place in the labor market due to a lack of linguistic or professional skills. The largest economy in Europe now needs a skilled workforce because of the rapid aging of the population.
Understanding of this problem, as well as an agreement on compromises on taxation and the environment, indicate that the parties can conclude a deal to put an end to the political impasse in Germany more than three months after the national elections.
Political uncertainty did not cast a shadow on the booming economy, and the government on Tuesday raised its forecast for growth in 2017 and said it expects growth to continue this year.
source: dw.de
But many of the SPD oppose repetition of the "great coalition" that has been in power for the past four years. They fear that it will weaken the left-centrist party even more, which, following the elections in September, achieved the worst result since 1933.
Some members of the SPD are also afraid that the new "great coalition" will lead to the fact that the main opposition party in the country after that will be the extremely right-wing "Alternative for Germany" (AfD).
Immigration is one of the most sensitive topics in the negotiations. The German newspaper RND published the working group’s document during the preliminary negotiations, which states that the parties agreed that qualified workers should be encouraged to move to Germany.
More than a million migrants, many of whom fled the conflict in the Middle East, have arrived in Germany since mid-2015 and have faced great difficulties in trying to find a place in the labor market due to a lack of linguistic or professional skills. The largest economy in Europe now needs a skilled workforce because of the rapid aging of the population.
Understanding of this problem, as well as an agreement on compromises on taxation and the environment, indicate that the parties can conclude a deal to put an end to the political impasse in Germany more than three months after the national elections.
Political uncertainty did not cast a shadow on the booming economy, and the government on Tuesday raised its forecast for growth in 2017 and said it expects growth to continue this year.
source: dw.de
