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.

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) has approved a coalition agreement with Friedrich Merz's conservative bloc in a members' ballot, paving the way for the new German government to take office next week,

Germany's Social Democrats will announce on Wednesday whether members have backed a treaty for a coalition with the CDU/CSU conservatives, potentially clearing the last hurdle for the formation of a new government in Europe's largest economy.