Germany’s conservative and centre-left parties to present new government deal
The agreement means Europe’s biggest economy can finally have new leadership.

Conservative and centre-left parties will present a deal to form a new German government on Wednesday after weeks of negotiations.
The agreement paves the way for new leadership in Europe’s biggest economy after months of political drift.
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is expected to become Germany’s next leader under the agreement, replacing outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The parties involved sent an invitation to a news conference at 3pm local time (2pm BST).
Mr Merz’s two-party Union bloc emerged as the strongest force from Germany’s election on February 23.
He turned to the Social Democrats, Mr Scholz’s centre-left party, to put together a coalition with a parliamentary majority.
It will take some time before the German parliament can elect Mr Merz as Chancellor, perhaps in early May. Before that can happen, the coalition deal will need approval in a ballot of the Social Democrats’ membership and by a convention of Mr Merz’s CDU.
Last month, the two sides pushed plans through parliament to enable higher defence spending by loosening strict debt rules and to set up a huge infrastructure fund that is aimed at boosting the stagnant economy.