The negotiation in Germany was shorter than expected. At the third preliminary meeting, Christian Democrats and Christian Social Democrats reached an agreement with the Social Democrats to form a coalition government. In the intentions of the chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and the social democratic president Sigmar Gabriel (SPD), the Executive will last the entire legislature.
So what is called the "Grosse Koalition" in Germany, already at the helm of the country from 2005 to 2009, will restart. Next week, immediately after the constituent session of the new Bundestag (the lower house of the German federal parliament), CDU, CSU and SPD they will begin to finalize the government programme.
The Social Democrats have obtained the support of the centre-right for their main objective: the introduction at the federal level of the guaranteed minimum wage of 8 euros fifty gross for all categories of workers.
Behind the German employment miracle of the last four years - which brought unemployment to historic lows - there is actually little reassurance: starvation wages have multiplied and 1,7 million workers are unable to reach minimum subsistence levels.
For their part, the Christian Democrats have obtained from the SPD the willingness to renounce the request to raise taxes for the highest income brackets and not to take new credits.
