The resignation of Social Democrat leader Andrea Nahles makes early elections in Germany more likely. But both the CDU and the SPD should avoid any hasty decisions, says DW Editor-in-Chief Ines Pohl.
Neither party currently has the stability necessary to take on the real responsibility of leadership. This is true with regard to both their policies and their personnel.
Ines Pohl is DW's editor-in-chiefImage: DW/P. Böll
CDU: Old, worn-out
First, the Christian Democratic Union: Since Merkel stepped down as party leader after the CDU made a poor showing at state elections, the political infighting in her party has careered out of control.
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the new party leader and Merkel's potential successor, cuts a rather unfortunate figure. Her pandering to the most right-wing elements of the conservative CDU/CSU bloc during the European election campaign did not benefit the party — indeed, quite the opposite.
And the public relations disaster that she triggered by slamming a YouTuber who had criticized her party in a widely seen video was even more serious. Here, too, her attempt to display toughness by calling for stricter regulation of the internet backfired completely. She did not damage just her own image but that of the entire party, making it seem old, worn-out — anything but fit for the future.
SPD: Looking for its place
For the Social Democrats, the situation is even more complicated. For six years, the party has been the junior partner in the "grand coalition" and unable to counter the chancellor's clever maneuvers with ones of its own. Whether minimum wage or child care: Merkel has always succeeded in taking the political credit for nearly all the reforms initiated by the SPD.
Rather than coming up with its own policies and solving the fundamental problem of finding a place for itself in the German party landscape, the SPD has indulged in infighting and constant leadership changes.
And now the current SPD leader is to step down from both her positions. This means anything is possible. The SPD has reached such a low point that many are simply calling for an end to the horror known as the "grand coalition," no matter the cost.
No hasty decisions
But that is dangerous. What if early parliamentary elections were actually to take place this year? Neither the SPD nor the conservatives have convincing figures at the top. Neither party has an election platform robust enough to address the concerns of German citizens. The issue of climate protection is just one of those concerns, even if it's currently the loudest.
At the moment, Germany is standing on firm democratic footing. Even if fresh elections were to be called, there is no danger of right-wing nationalists or populists winning governing majorities. That's the good news in these turbulent times.
Germany's role in the world
In view of the important role Germany has to play in the world, however, infighting and party intrigue must not be allowed to determine what happens in the coming days. Both the SPD and the CDU would be well-advised to take their time, draw the right consequences and not shoot from the hip.
For now, Germany can stay politically stable and remain a reliable partner for its international allies only if those in charge think about the future political consequences — and not just about keeping political power in the present.
A history of Germany's coalition governments
Only once has federal Germany been ruled by a single party with a parliamentary majority. Coalitions are, therefore, the norm. DW looks at the various governing combinations that have presided in the Bundestag.
Image: Fabrizio Bensch/REUTERS
CDU-SPD (2025-?)
Yet another coalition of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and the center-left Social Democrat Party (SPD) has taken office on May 6, 2025. Both the CDU and the SPD have dwindled in recent years, so there is now no talk of "grand coalition" as they embark on a mission to save Germany's economy from decline and society from further polarization.
Image: Florian Gaertner/IMAGO
SPD-Green Party-FDP (2021-2024)
From 2021 until late 2024, Germany was governed by a center-left coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), ecologist Greens and neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP), whose color is yellow. The government known as "Ampel" (traffic light) in Germany, started out as a self-declared "Fortschrittskoalition" (progress coalition) but got mired in infighting and became the least popular government ever.
Image: Michael Kappeler/dpa/picture alliance
CDU/CSU-SPD (2013-2021)
After taking more than 40% of the vote, Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives probably weren't expecting to rule with the SPD. However, her old allies, the FDP failed to meet the 5% threshold to enter the Bundestag, and options were limited. Merkel called on the SPD to join her and "take on the responsibility to build a stable government." She made the same speech again four years later.
Image: Maurizio Gambarini/dpa/picture alliance
CDU/CSU-FDP (2009-2013)
The SPD, part of the outgoing coalition, picked up a disappointing 23% in the 2009 federal election. The Free Democrats, by contrast, won more than 14% of the vote. Chancellor Angela Merkel (center) and the FDP's Guido Westerwelle (left) formed a coalition with relative ease. It was, after all, Germany's 11th CDU/CSU-FDP government.
Image: Markus Schreiber/AP Photo/picture alliance
CDU/CSU-SPD (2005-2009)
"Grand coalitions" do not come easily. When the first exit polls came in, both Gerhard Schröder (left) and Angela Merkel (right) declared themselves the winner. In the end, Merkel's conservatives defeated the SPD by just 1%. Germany's two largest parties agreed to form the country's second-ever grand coalition, and Schröder left politics.
Image: Stefan Sauer/dpa/picture alliance
SPD-Green Party (1998-2005 )
In 1998, the CDU/CSU lost a general election and SPD candidate Gerhard Schröder (left) became chancellor, heading a center-left government with the Green Party. Joschka Fischer of the Greens took over the Foreign Ministry.
Image: Andreas Altwein/dpa/picture-alliance
CDU-DSU-Democratic Awakening (1990)
Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany held its first free election. The Christian Democrats under Lothar de Maiziere took over 40% of the vote. They went into coalition with two small parties: German Social Union and Democratic Awakening, whose members included one Angela Merkel. In October that year, the government signed the reunification treaty with West Germany.
Image: Wolfgang Kumm/dpa/picture alliance
CDU/CSU-FDP (1982-1998)
The friendship between the SPD and FDP ended as the two parties' differing ideologies became irreconcilable in the early 1980s. The liberals again switched sides, seeking a deal with the conservatives. They formed a new CDU/CSU-FDP coalition under the leadership of Helmut Kohl (pictured), who remained chancellor for 16 years until well after German reunification.
SPD-FDP (1969-1982)
Willy Brandt (left) became Germany's first Social Democratic chancellor in the postwar period. The CDU/CSU was the strongest party, but Brandt struck a deal with the FDP to secure a narrow majority in the Bundestag. This wouldn't be the last time the FDP would be called out for a lack of loyalty. In 1974, Brandt was replaced by Helmut Schmidt (right), who went on to win two more elections.
Image: Sammy Minkoff/picture alliance
CDU/CSU - SPD (1966-1969)
The first-ever "grand coalition" was not the product of an election. Ludwig Erhard was re-elected in 1965 and continued to rule alongside the FDP who left the government in the following year over budget disputes. Erhard also resigned and Kurt Kiesinger (center) was chosen to take over. With the FDP out, he governed with the center-left Social Democrats, led by Willy Brandt.
Image: UPI/dpa/picture-alliance
CDU/CSU-FDP (1961-1966)
After four years of ruling West Germany on their own between 1957 and 1961, the conservatives lost their majority in the Bundestag and were forced to enter into coalition with the Free Democrats again. Adenauer resigned in 1963 for his part in the so-called "Spiegel" scandal. His economic affairs minister, Ludwig Erhard (left), was elected by parliament to take over.
Image: Alfred Hennig/dpa/picture-alliance
CDU/CSU-FDP-DP (1949-1961)
The first democratic government to govern West Germany since the end of World War II saw Christian Democratic Union leader Konrad Adenauer form a governing coalition with the Free Democrats and the German Party (a now-defunct national conservative party). It had a very slim majority. Small coalition partners fell by the wayside, eventually leaving the CDU/CSU to govern alone.
