A coalition deal in Germany has paved the way for conservative leader Friedrich Merz to become the country's 10th chancellor since World War II. As part of the deal, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party,

Germany's Social Democrats have backed a treaty for a coalition with the CDU/CSU conservatives, the party said on Wednesday, clearing the last hurdle for the formation of a new government in Europe's largest economy.

BERLIN - Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) backed a coalition deal with the CDU/CSU conservatives on Wednesday in the final step to forming a government in Europe's largest economy, and nominated their leader Lars Klingbeil as finance minister.