Members of Germany’s centre-left Social Democrat Party (SPD) must approve the deal between Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative CDU/CSU bloc and their own party, led by Martin Schulz.  

Merkel, who went to great lengths to woo the 464,000-member SPD, is facing criticism from within the ranks of her conservatives for ceding the powerful finance ministry to Schulz’ party. Under 
the coalition agreement, the SPD will control six of the 15 cabinet positions, 
i ncluding foreign, justice and labour ministries among others. 

 
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