About: German elections 2017
Donations to German parties soar during elections, raising concerns
The financial statements of German political parties for 2017 once again demonstrated that business is particularly generous during elections, with the Union of CDU and CSU benefitting in particular. Critics argue that these donations distort democracy. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Oettinger appeals to CSU to ease pressure on Merkel
Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger, an ally of beleaguered German Chancellor Angela Merkel from her CDU party, appealed on Monday (25 June) to CDU's Bavarian sister party, CSU, to ease their pressure on the Chancellor by not setting strict deadlines to fix the migration conundrum.
Tensions build ahead of hastily prepared migration meeting
Jean-Claude Juncker's invitation to a handful of EU leaders for an informal mini-summit on Sunday (27 June) to discuss migration and asylum appears to have raised more issues than the meeting can solve.
Merkel avoids government collapse over immigration but faces deadline
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Bavarian allies agreed to give her two weeks' breathing space yesterday (18 June) to find a European solution to a row over immigration that threatens to scupper her three-month-old coalition government.
German coalition hangs on EU summit’s delivery on asylum reform
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), will decide today (18 June) whether to defy her by implementing a plan to limit immigration at the German border and risk destabilising her three-month-old coalition.
Merkel says she will visit Macron to discuss EU reform
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday (12 March), two days before she is to launch her new government, that she will pay a quick visit to French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss EU reform proposals.
Italy’s election uncertainty: What plagues the minds of investors
Investors are feeling sanguine ahead of Italy's 4 March election. The economy is strengthening and anti-euro sentiment is waning in the single-currency bloc. But the vote has the potential to throw them a curve ball.
Juncker prepares for 4 March ‘worse-case scenario’
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned yesterday (22 February) that financial markets could face turbulence after Italian elections next month, saying Brussels was prepared for a worst-case scenario.
Merkel’s future in Social Democratic hands as party vote starts
Members of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) began voting yesterday (20 February) on whether to enter a new coalition with Angela Merkel's conservatives, a postal ballot which could scupper the chancellor's chances of a fourth term in office.
Germany’s SPD vows to clash with ‘down for the count’ Merkel
Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) will clash over policy with Angela Merkel in the next government, the main candidate to lead the centre-left party said yesterday (14 February), adding that the conservative chancellor was approaching the end of her career.
Merkel defends coalition concessions, says ‘younger people’ needed in government
Angela Merkel on Sunday defended "painful" concessions she has made to the Social Democrats (SPD) to win a fourth term as German chancellor and said criticism among her conservatives was not a sign her authority was waning.
Merkel under fire from own ranks over coalition deal
Chancellor Angela Merkel faced criticism from within the ranks of her own conservatives today (8 February) for making concessions to her centre-left Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners to seal a governing alliance a day earlier.
German parties reach coalition deal ‘in principle’
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the Social Democrats agreed "in principle" on Wednesday (7 February) on a coalition deal, sources involved in the talks said, taking Europe's economic powerhouse a step closer to a new government.
Merkel ready for ‘painful compromises’ with coalition deal in sight
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday (6 February) she was ready to make "painful compromises" as negotiators from her conservative bloc and the Social Democrats (SPD) rushed to clinch a coalition government deal after months of political uncertainty.
German parties to tackle labour, healthcare in extra round of coalition talks
Negotiators for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) will try on Monday (5 February) to hammer out compromises on healthcare and labour policy - the final stumbling blocks in the way of another 'grand coalition'.
Conservative MEPs ask Merkel to reverse telecoms talks in coalition negotiation
Eight German conservative MEPs have written to Chancellor Angela Merkel to complain about a controversial telecoms investment plan, which crept into coalition talks this week between Christian Democrats and Social Democrats.
German parties agree on climate as coalition talks progress
Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives agreed on climate targets for 2030 with their would-be Social Democrat (SPD) partners, who also announced steady progress on European policy in coalition talks which they aim to conclude within a week.
Family reunion for refugees complicates German coalition talks
The leader of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) played down hopes yesterday (29 January) for swift progress in coalition talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, an SPD source said, amid continued disagreement over several issues including refugees.
The final straight: Party leaders launch German coalition talks
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives open coalition talks with their Social Democrat (SPD) partners on Friday (26 September), four months after the September election that left Europe's largest economy in an unprecedented state of political limbo.
Eurogroup head hails German coalition blueprint for eurozone reform
The Eurogroup's new president, Mario Centeno, has welcomed eurozone reform proposals agreed by Germany's two biggest parties in preliminary coalition talks.
German SPD leaders aim to improve on coalition deal with Merkel
Leading members of Germany's Social Democrats said on Sunday (14 January) they would press for improvements to a coalition blueprint agreed with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, seeking to win over sceptical party members who can torpedo the deal.
German parties offer first response to Macron on Europe
Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats pledged today (12 January) to work closely with France to strengthen the euro zone, in their first substantive response to President Emmanuel Macron's ambitious EU reform proposals.
Merkel warns of ‘big obstacles’ in final push for new government
Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany's top parties still had "big obstacles" to surmount before reaching a new coalition deal, ahead of a last-ditch round of negotiations yesterday (11 January).