More than five months after Germans went to the polls in the September 24 national election, Germany will be getting a new government. The final hurdle was cleared when the Social Democratic Party (SPD) rank-and-file sanctioned the coalition deal that party leaders had negotiated with Angela Merkel's conservatives.

Sixty-six percent of party members who voted supported a continuation of the grand coalition, while 34 percent opposed it — a clearer margin than many in the party had expected.

More than 450,000 SPD members had been called upon to cast their votes in a mail-in ballot. The outcome was announced at party headquarters in Berlin on Sunday morning.

"This wasn't an easy decision for the SPD," said acting party Chairman Olaf Scholz. "In the discussion [about the deal], we've come closer together. That gives us the strength for the process of renewal we are embarking upon."

The vote was not as close as many people thought it would be

The coalition agreement can now be signed, and the Bundestag will elect Merkel chancellor of Germany for the 19th legislative period. That vote is set to take place on March 14. It will be the third grand coalition in Merkel's 13 years as German leader, but it only came about after efforts to form a coalition with the Greens and center-right Free Democrats (FDP) failed.

Former SPD Chairman Martin Schulz initially ruled out another grand coalition and was forced to resign after he flip-flopped on the issue. Social Democratic leaders were persuaded to conclude another deal after winning key concessions from Merkel and her Christian Democrats (CDU), as well as earning consent on ministerial posts from the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). The SPD will have control of Germany's powerful Finance Ministry, among other things.





Conservatives have already named their ministers in the new government, while Social Democrats are expected to announce their picks for the party's six cabinet positions this week. Party Chairman Scholz did not specify names on the topic of who would be filling the six posts, but he did say that the SPD team would consist of three men and three women, and would be a mixture of familiar and new faces.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Chancellor: Angela Merkel (CDU) Christian Democrat (CDU) Angela Merkel is Germany's chancellor. She is in her fourth term as leader of the German government and in her third at the head of a "grand coalition" between the CDU, its conservative Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), and the Social Democrats (SPD). Merkel says she will not run for chancellor at the next general election in 2021.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister of the Interior, Heimat and Construction: Horst Seehofer (CSU) Seehofer was Bavaria's state premier until he took over the interior portfolio in Merkel's Cabinet. This will be the first time that the vaguely patriotic "Heimat" concept (roughly "homeland") is included in the interior minister's domain. Bavaria, however, has had a state Heimat Ministry for five years. Seehofer remains head of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) in Bavaria.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister for Foreign Affairs: Heiko Maas (SPD) Former Justice Minister Heiko Maas succeeded his Social Democrat colleague, Sigmar Gabriel, as foreign minister in March. Maas was in charge of the Justice Ministry when the government passed a controversial internet law to combat hate speech online.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Finance Minister: Olaf Scholz (SPD) Scholz served as mayor of Hamburg before moving to Berlin to take the reins at the Finance Ministry. The Finance Ministry's capture was a significant win for the SPD. Scholz will also serve as vice-chancellor. He had been in Merkel's Cabinet once before, as minister of labor and social affairs from 2007 to 2009.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister of Defense: Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) Von der Leyen has been defense minister since 2013 and kept her job in the new government. This comes despite numerous scandals within the Bundeswehr, Germany's military, that broke since she took over the Defense Ministry. Her relationship with the troops suffered, but Merkel trusts her.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Economic and Energy Affairs Minister: Peter Altmaier (CDU) Altmaier was Merkel's chief of staff at the Chancellery before his nomination to take over the Economy Ministry. The last time a CDU politician was in the post was half a century before. Altmaier is regarded as extremely loyal to the chancellor.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection: Katarina Barley (SPD) Katarina Barley took over as justice minister after serving as both minister of family affairs and labor in the previous government. The 49-year-old is a lawyer by training and holds both British and German citizenship.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister of Labor and Social Affairs: Hubertus Heil (SPD) Hubertus Heil succeeded Andrea Nahles, who stepped down to take over as head of the SPD. A member of the Bundestag since 1998, Heil has twice served as the party's secretary general.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister for the Environment: Svenja Schulze (SPD) Svenja Schulze replaced party colleague Barbara Hendricks, Germany's former minister for the environment, nature conservation and nuclear safety, in March. Schulze previously served as minister for innovation, science and research in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister for Health: Jens Spahn (CDU) Jens Spahn, 37, is representative of a new political generation within the CDU and seen as a future contender for party leadership. In the last government, he served as the parliamentary state secretary in the Finance Ministry. Prior to that, he helped lead the CDU's health policy in the Bundestag.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister of Education and Research: Anja Karliczek (CDU) Anja Karliczek, a former hotel manager who is relatively unknown, was nominated by Merkel to take over the Education Ministry. She had a lot of money to spend: The ministry's budget was increased by €11 billion ($13.6 billion) to pay for school and university improvements shortly before her appointment.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth: Franziska Giffey (SPD) Franziska Giffey's elevation from the mayor of Berlin's Neukölln district to cabinet minister was perhaps one of the most eye-catching appointments. Giffey bypassed the Bundestag altogether to ascend into government. But the SPD leadership believed her experience in charge of what has often been described as Berlin's "troubled" district made her the most suitable candidate for the role.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development: Gerd Müller (CSU) Gerd Müller, 62, retained his post as development minister, which he has held since December 2013. He won the job over fellow CSU member Dorothee Bär, who was also in the running. Bär became the state minister for digital affairs in the chancellery, a newly created job.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure: Andreas Scheuer (CSU) Scheuer, considered a close ally of CSU party head Seehofer, took over the Transport Ministry from party colleague Alexander Dobrindt. He is experienced in the field: From 2009 to 2013, he was parliamentary state secretary in the Transport Ministry. Prior to his latest appointment, he was the CSU's secretary general.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Minister for Food and Agriculture: Julia Klöckner (CDU) Klöckner previously worked as parliamentary state secretary in the Agriculture Ministry from 2009 to 2011. Between her ministerial stints in Berlin, she was deputy chair of the CDU and headed the CDU in the western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Ministers under Merkel: Germany's new government Chief of Staff at the Chancellery: Helge Braun (CDU) Helge Braun took over from CDU colleague Peter Altmaier as Chancellery head in March. He had previously served in deputy positions in the Chancellery and Education Ministry. Author: Carla Bleiker, Alexander Pearson



Social Democrats now need to heal old wounds

The decision about whether to form a new partnership with the conservatives divided Social Democrats, many of whom blame the SPD's participation in grand coalitions for the party's slide to historic lows in opinion polls.

The yes campaign in the members' vote was led by Scholz and designated party Chairwoman Andrea Nahles, who is expected to take over the SPD party reigns in April. The no camp was spearheaded by the head of the SPD's youth wing, Kevin Kühnert.

​Despite losing the vote, Kühnert has become the voice for reform in the SPD

"I and many young SPD members are more disappointed by the result than anything else," Kühnert said after the outcome was made public. "But this is a democratic decision, and we accept it. We're not sore losers."

Kühnert also promised that he and the SPD youth wing would continue to press for reforms within the party. But there was no overlooking the obvious irritation on the face of the youth wing leader as he fielded reporters' questions in front of party headquarters.

"We'll continue to voice criticism — in particular of our partners, but also of our own people," Kühnert said. For their part, party leaders assured no-voters that their voices would be heard.

Merkel and the conservatives have a new, old partner in Nahles' Social Democrats

Conservatives breathe sigh of relief

Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) sanctioned the coalition agreement last week at a party conference. And the chancellor was quick to express her pleasure at Sunday's announcement.

"I congratulate the SPD on this clear result and look forward to further cooperation for the welfare of our country," the CDU tweeted in Merkel's name.

In a statement, CDU General Secretary Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer welcomed the Social Democrats' vote.

"This is a good decision by the SPD and especially for our country," Kramp-Karrenbauer wrote. "With it, after the conservatives, Social Democrats have declared that they're willing to accept responsibility for the country in a joint government."

Designated conservative Economy Minister Peter Altmaier also gave the SPD decision a thumbs up via Twitter — but not all the messages on that platform were positive.

Opposition parties lob scorn via social media

The far-right populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) mocked the SPD's decision, predicting that the Social Democrats' decline would continue when Germany holds its next national election.

"In 2021 at the latest, they'll pay the price," the party tweeted in a message that contained cartoons of Nahles and Merkel and the caption "four more nightmare years for Germany."

The other parties were more respectful but hardly any more positive.

"The SPD voted as expected," tweeted FDP General Secretary Nicola Beer. "They were more afraid of new elections than of being further marginalized in another Merkel coalition. Merkel's worries are over. She stays in the Chancellery, but Germany is only moving sideways."

Left Party co-Chairwoman Katja Kipping wrote that the SPD and the conservatives were returning to the seats of power "weakened and apathetically."

Green Party co-Chairwoman Annalena Baerbock commented: "It's good that the political impasse is finally over. We'll have to fill the holes regarding the climate, care for seniors and child poverty from the parliament."