Formation of The Grand Coalition
Neither the coalitions of the CDU/CSU and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) nor the ruling SPD and Alliance '90/The Greens had the vote of a majority of members of the Bundestag following the 2005 federal election, so the CDU/CSU and SPD decided to form the second grand coalition in the history of the federal republic.
Both CDU/CSU and SPD achieved a similar percentage of votes at the election (35.2% and 34.2%, respectively), so they decided that each would receive eight cabinet seats (with six for the CDU and two for the CSU). On October 13 the SPD announced their future ministers and on October 17 the CDU/CSU announced theirs.
Edmund Stoiber (CSU) was to become the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, but refused the post on November 1, followed by a conflict with Angela Merkel over the abilities of the minister to succeed him.
The coalition agreement (Koalitionsvertrag), titled Together for Germany. With courage and humanity, was signed and accepted by the congress of the CDU, CSU, and SPD on November 12, 13, and 14. Angela Merkel was elected Chancellor of Germany on November 22 by 397 votes to 217. From that date the cabinet was officially in power.
Read more about this topic: Cabinet Merkel I
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