Germany's Dark Coalition

Negotiations commenced between the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Social Democrats (SPD) to establish a new German federal government. Preliminary discussions strongly suggest the formation of a government leaning further to the right than any since the end of World War II. The CDU/CSU, under increasing pressure from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), has adopted more hard-line policies. Key areas of contention during the exploratory talks revolved around refugee policy, internal security, and economic policy. The CDU/CSU aims to further restrict immigration, expand police powers, and implement tax cuts favoring corporations and the wealthy. The SPD, despite suffering significant losses in the recent elections, is entering the coalition talks from a position of weakness. Driven by the fear of new elections and further losses to the AfD, the SPD leadership appears willing to make substantial concessions to the CDU/CSU. This includes accepting stricter immigration laws and compromising on social welfare programs. The potential coalition signals a significant shift in German politics toward a more conservative and nationalist agenda. find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/03/13/heih-m13.html