Coalition Deal in Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union has reached a coalition deal with the center-left Social Democrats, putting the leader on track to end nearly five months of political gridlock since September elections.

The deal must still be approved in a vote by members of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), nearly half a million in total, early next month. The grand coalition under Merkel would see Social Democrats gain control of half a dozen ministries, including foreign affairs and finance. The deal would also pit the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) against the coalition as the main opposition party in parliament.