The agreement was concluded relatively quickly but still took about six and half weeks, during which the country had been virtually rudderless at a critical moment for Europe.

Conservatives and Social Democrats aim to boost defense spending, cut migration; Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, frozen out of new government, tops poll for first time

German conservatives under Friedrich Merz clinched a coalition deal with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) on Wednesday, aiming to revive growth in Europe's largest economy just as a global trade war threatens recession.