Coalition deal reached in Germany

Leaders of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative-led bloc and the Centre-Left Social Democratic Party reached a coalition agreement early Wednesday, negotiators said.

The SPD and the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and their Bavarian-based associate party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) do not plan to increase any taxes in their “grand coalition” government.

CDU leader Angela Merkel, Horst Seehofer (CSU) and Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) were due to present the coalition agreement later Wednesday.

The deal is subject to a vote by SPD members. The result is due on December 14.