The centre-left Social Democrats had furiously debated whether to extend the so-called grand coalition for another four years after suffering a slump in September's election. Activists at the Social Democrats' headquarters in Berlin had worked through the night to count the votes. After September's election, in which the Social Democrats received just 20.5 per cent of the vote, then-leader Martin Schulz ruled out another grand coalition with Merkel. Fewer Social Democrats approved the deal this time round than in 2013, when 76 per cent of members backed a government with Merkel. Many Social Democrats, particularly on the left, had argued that the party failed to make its mark on the last government and wouldn't benefit from propping up Merkel for another term.

Source: CBC News March 04, 2018 10:41 UTC