Coalition start in the Chancellery: Merz promises visible changes!

Coalition start in the Chancellery: Merz promises visible changes!

On May 28, 2025, the first coalition committee of the new black-red coalition met in the Chancellery. The focus of the meeting was on topics such as growth, security, investments and avoiding internal disputes. With this meeting, Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz would like to demonstrate that he is also capable of acting in domestic politics. Merz has promised that citizens will begin to feel changes by the summer, which many see as a test of his ability to govern. The analysis of the meeting, including possible results, will be accompanied by stern policy chiefs Veit Medick and Jan Rosenkranz.

A new podcast called “5-Minute Talk” is also being introduced. This is available every weekday from 5 a.m. on RTL+ and other platforms and is intended to offer quick analyses, arguments and political insights. The podcast represents an important communication channel for the coalition and could help inform citizens about upcoming changes.

The challenge of the coalition

The coalition between the Union and the SPD has overcome its last hurdle and is the fourth center coalition since reunification. History shows that Angela Merkel was able to achieve success with similar alliances, particularly through a willingness to compromise. However, Merz faces the challenge of continuing this tradition and at the same time implementing his high campaign promises, especially on migration policy and the debt brake.

The new coalition is unlikely to introduce any fundamental changes compared to the previous SPD-led government. Lars Klingbeil, the SPD Vice Chancellor, will have to ensure that the SPD's core content such as social justice and the minimum wage are not jeopardized. For the SPD, the role as junior partner also entails its own risks and challenges, especially since the traffic light coalition previously had to accept an exodus of voters.

Outlook on the political landscape

Overall, the coalition presents itself as an alliance of convenience that begins without much euphoria. Both parties are aiming to win more voters in the next election in 2029. At around 45% of the vote, they currently have a lower share of the vote than the first black-red coalition in 2005, which was 69.4%. The previous traffic light coalition even received 51.8% of the votes.

Merz must develop a compromise-oriented political style in order to successfully steer the coalition. A premature failure could not only damage the democratic center, but also bring additional voters to the AfD. Supported by an economically liberal and anti-Merkel camp, tensions could arise due to different interests within the coalition.

The opportunities for this new coalition lie in “good governance” and the long-term implementation of key projects that are to be initiated in the coalition agreement. The coming months will show whether Merz and his coalition partners are up to these challenges.