GERMANY: Taggespiegel-Merz To Be Elected Chancellor 6 May

Germany's Taggespiegel reports that according to its sources, "The election of Friedrich Merz (CDU) as the new Federal Chancellor is planned for May 6". Following the finalisation of a coalition agreement earlier this week, 7 May had been the day speculated upon for Merz's confirmation vote in the Bundestag. The article also reports that centre-right Christian Democratic Union leader Merz, as well as co-leaders of the centre-left Social Democrats (Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken) met with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier earlier today as preparations for the handover of power from incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Merz get underway. 

• With the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), having approved the coalition agreement on 10 April, the go-ahead from the CDU and SPD (as well as a vote in the Bundestag) is all that is required. SPD members vote from 15-29 April on approving the deal, while the CDU's federal committee is set to give the green light in late April.