Germany's Social Democrats voted in favor of a coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, paving the way to a new government for Europe's largest economy.

OLAF SCHOLZ SPD ACTING PARTY CHAIRMAN "The Social Democratic Party did not lightly make this decision. It spent the last weeks in in-depth, transparent and open discussions over the coalition deal. There were important and gripping debates that a great many members of the SPD took part in. We grew closer together during these discussions and this will now give us the strength we need to move ourselves forward as a party in government and to put our country on the right path."

Two-thirds of SPD members backed the deal. It ends more than five months of uncertainty after an inconclusive election and hands chancellor Merkel a fourth term. The SPD initially become an opposition party, but agreed to negotiate with Merkel after talks collapsed with the pro-business Free Democrats and the environmentalist Greens.