After winning Sunday's parliamentary election, Germany's Christian Democratic Chancellor Angela Merkel says she hopes to form a swift coalition with the centre-right Free Democrats (FDP). The first talks will begin today, while negotiations will take place next week. Mrs Merkel hopes to form a coalition government within a month. During the past four years she had governed against her will with the Social Democrats (SPD).

Due to a sharp drop in support for the Social Democrats, which suffered its worst defeat ever, and a record result for the pro-business FDP, Mrs Merkel now has her hoped-for centre-right majority. The CDU/CDS and FDP see eye-to-eye on most issues, but disagree on taxes. The FDP favours major tax cuts, while Mrs Merkel is more concerned with reducing unemployment.

The Reichstag (German parliament) in Berlin
Photo by Waterproof (flickr)