Professor Jan Palmowski, of the University of Warwick's School for Cross-faculty Studies, has provided his analysis of the decision by the SPD to enter into coalition talks with the CDU, months after the German elections:

"The SPD’s decision to enter formal coalition talks has exposed the fundamental challenge the party faces: how it can renew itself to make social democracy relevant to a wider electorate, while being in government at the same time. The decision brings only fragile stability to German politics, not just because of the inner divisions of the SPD.

"The question is how each of the parties of a future Grand Coalition can sharpen their profiles to inspire more voters to return to them, following their poor election results last year."

22 January 2018

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