Legend has it that in post-war Germany, a coalition and government could be formed on the basis of a verbal agreement between party leaders. The deal unveiled on Wednesday, April 9, by the Christian Democrats of the CDU-CSU and the Social Democrats of the SPD to govern the country after the February 23 elections does not fall into this category. A masterfully crafted composition blending each party's priorities and demands, the 146-page document was negotiated in secret over a month by a total of 192 emissaries, under the combined pressure of party members and the cascade of tariffs announced by the White House. "We had to achieve results quickly," summarized the likely future conservative chancellor, Friedrich Merz, on Wednesday, echoing his favorite line: "Germany is back."

Happy and visibly relieved, Merz, flanked by the two SPD leaders, Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken, as well as the president of the Bavarian conservative party CSU, Markus Söder, immediately sought to neutralize criticism. "You will not find much of what you expected in this document, and you will find much of what you did not expect," Merz enigmatically stated.

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