German parties sign 'new start' coalition deal before handover of power

Designated German Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD); Robert Habeck, Anton Hofreiter and Katrin Goering-Eckardt of Germany's Green Party; and Christian Lindner and Volker Wissing of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) stand on stage during the signing ceremony of a coalition government agreement at the "Futurium - the house of futures" museum in Berlin, Germany, December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) signed a coalition deal on Tuesday that sets out how to accelerate a green transition and modernise Europe's biggest economy when they take office this week.

The alliance between the unlikely bedfellows, the first such grouping at a national level, brings to an end 16 years of conservative-led government under Angela Merkel who did not stand for a fifth term in a September election.