END FOR MERKEL? Crunch vote could finish chancellor with SPD holding ALL the cards

SPD members will have the final say on whether a coalition between Angela Merkel’s CDU and the left-wing party can go ahead.

Members narrowly approved the continuation of talks following an initial agreement on January 21, however formal talks between the prospective ruling parties are yet to come.

The formation of a coalition is far from a done deal as SPD leader Martin Schulz faces a grassroots plot to keep the party in opposition, instead of joining Mrs Merkel’s government.

Led by SPD youth wing Jusos, the left-wingers hawking ideological purity over national stability have and vote ‘no’ to the deal.

They have until February 6, shortly after the anticipated end of negotiations, to stack the party with anti-Merkel members prepared to vote down the deal.

While the members’ final vote on the coalition will likely take place some days after this date, a large number of sign-ups to the party could decide the vote.

Jusos has encouraged new members to sign up to the party with the slogan “stop the grand coalition for a tenner” – referring to the cost of two months’ party membership.

The message appears to be working, after a spokesman for the SPD in North Rhine-Westphalia said about 600 people had applied to join the party within 24 hours over Monday and Tuesday.

Normally, the party would expect to gain about 4,000 members over a 12-month period.

Overall, the party boasts close to 450,000 members, meaning that bringing about a change in opinion would be a significant challenge. However the high joining rate since the beginning of the Jusos campaign could point to a seismic shift.

Jusos’ job could be made easier by a potentially controversial coalition deal, after Mr Schulz expressed doubts the parties’ differences would be easy to work out.

In his meetings with party leadership today, Mr Schulz expressed scepticism about the talks and highlighted the issue of immigration and refugees as a major sticking point between coalition negotiators.

He said it was unclear whether either party could compromise on family reunions for refugees, health insurance or employment policy, the former of which is set to be particularly difficult.

The SPD favours a more lenient approach towards refugees seeking to bring family members to Germany after leaving them behind in countries like Syria and Iraq. However the conservative CDU wants to present a harder line to avoid losing votes to anti-immigration AfD.

SPD deputy leader Malu Dreyer says parties want to reach an agreement on the issue of family reunions today.

However if there is too much compromise on the part of the SPD it could push voters to join Jusos in blocking the coalition deal.