In Germany, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU), along with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), have announced the conclusion of a coalition agreement, Tagesschau reports.

The agreement was concluded relatively quickly but still took about six and half weeks, during which the country had been virtually rudderless at a critical moment for Europe.

The US president’s tariffs and position on Ukraine pushed the incoming chancellor to swiftly establish a stable government capable of responding effectively.

Germany's chancellor-in-waiting and leader of the Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) Friedrich Merz, Christian Social Union (CSU) leader and Bavarian Premier Markus Soeder, co-leaders of the Social Democratic party (SPD) Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil walk to attend a press conference after reaching an agreement on their coalition government in Berlin,

Unveiling the agreement on Wednesday, the leader of the Christian Democrats listed the unpalatable threats to his country’s security and prosperity: Russian President Vladimir Putin was threatening Europe,

German conservatives under Friedrich Merz clinched a coalition deal with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Wednesday, aiming to revive growth in Europe's largest economy just as a global trade war threatens recession.

BERLIN - Germany's far-right AfD party topped a major poll for the first time on Wednesday in a sign of growing dissatisfaction with mainstream parties as chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz seeks to seal a coalition government deal.

After winning Germany’s election on February 23rd, Mr Merz had shocked observers by questioning nato’s future under Mr Trump and declaring that Europe must “achieve independence from America”. But there were no such fireworks on offer this week.

Friedrich Merz sealed a coalition deal with the Social Democrats, paving the way for the German conservative leader to become chancellor at a time of acute domestic and geopolitical turmoil.