Regierungsbildung 2025: Ein holpriger Weg zur „Arbeitskoalition“ im Bund

After the break-up of the traffic light coalition in November 2025, the question of confidence was used to bring about early general elections. Mathematically and politically, the results allowed only for a coalition between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. The Union parties had formulated expectations for rapid government formation based on a shorter and dynamic coalition agreement. But the negotiations were led based on the routines that have been established over the past decades: in a horizontally and vertically differentiated structure, exploratory talks, a main negotiation group and numerous working groups, almost 300 politicians, mostly from the federal and state levels were directly involved. In a multi-step process, they negotiated a detailed coalition treaty that stipulated the political plans for the new government, its structure and the coordination procedures in parliament and government. That the Christian Democrat Friedrich Merz did not receive the required majority in the first round of chancellor elections in the Bundestag showed that potential for conflict remains in the new coalition. The structure of the ministries – and the committee structure in Parliament that mirrors it – saw numerous adjustments. Notably, a new ministry for digital affairs and modernization of the state was formed. All in all, the government formation process showed strong continuity in formalizing the informal.