German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party has voted in favor of a deal to form a new coalition government with the center-left Social Democrats.

Delegates at a convention in Berlin voted overwhelmingly Monday in favor of the agreement despite criticism from some conservatives in the party.

Disquiet among the Christian Democratic Union’s members has been growing following a weak election result last September that forced Merkel into complicated coalition negotiations with smaller parties.

The agreement still requires approval from the Social Democrats. The result of a postal ballot of that party’s membership will be announced March 4.

 
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