Center-left party approves German coalition deal, paving the way for Merz to be elected chancellor

Germany ’s center-left Social Democrats have approved a deal to join a new coalition government, paving the way for parliament to elect conservative leader Friedrich Merz as the country’s new chancellor. The party of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholtz will join a coalition led by Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, which won Germany’s election in February with 28.5%. The Social Democrats suffered their worst result since World War II, finishing third with just 16.4% of the vote.