Merz and SPD try to narrow differences in German coalition talks

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz speaks during an extraordinary session of the outgoing lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, for a vote to adopt the draft law brought by the SPD and CDU/CSU parliamentary groups to reform constitutional debt rules and set up a 500 billion euro infrastructure fund, in Berlin, Germany March 18, 2025. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - Working groups for Germany's election-winning conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats will submit findings on a possible coalition on Monday, a step toward forming a government and bridging differences over issues such as migration.

Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz wants to forge a ruling coalition with the SPD by April 20 but both sides have emphasised getting the substance of the talks right rather than toiling under self-imposed deadlines.