The SPD has concluded its member vote on the coalition agreement with the Union.
On Tuesday evening, one minute before midnight, the deadline for the approximately 358,000 party members to vote on the 144-page agreement expired. SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch will present the result on Wednesday morning. The party leadership had campaigned for approval in the various state branches in recent weeks.
There was sharp criticism from the party’s youth wing regarding the negotiation results. Juso leader Philipp Türmer called for a rejection. In addition to further tightening of migration policy, the Jusos also oppose the abolition of the eight-hour day.
Moreover, Türmer pointed out that the Ampel had already failed due to disagreements over financing. The financing reservation in the current coalition agreement, which sets a question mark behind all measures except the arms buildup exempted from the debt brake, is a “time bomb.”
Meanwhile, the CDU had approved the document at a small party congress in Berlin on Monday. The CSU had already given its approval several weeks ago. Therefore, the SPD member vote represents the last hurdle for the planned CDU chairman election of Friedrich Merz on May 6th.