BERLIN: The two parties poised to form Germany's next government have agreed on a significantly tougher stance on migration, following the far-right's strongest electoral performance since World War II, according to a draft of the negotiating text obtained by POLITICO.

The center-right Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), led by incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) have approved a series of measures that would form the foundation of the upcoming government's policies for the next four years.

The proposed policies include a substantial increase in the capacity to detain migrants awaiting deportation, a two-year suspension of family reunification for migrants, an expanded list of safe countries—such as Algeria, India, Morocco, and Tunisia—where migrants can be sent back, new rules for deporting migrants facing prison sentences, and the elimination of mandatory legal assistance prior to repatriation.

These agreements would mark the strictest migration policies in Germany in decades. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which came in second in the February 23 election, is expected to play a vocal role as a member of the opposition in the upcoming parliament.

However, some aspects of migration policy remain unresolved. The SPD has rejected CDU demands to establish asylum processing and return centers in other countries.

On defense spending, the two parties are also at odds. 

The CDU is pushing for a significant increase in Germany's defense budget, proposing to meet a 3.5 percent target—well beyond NATO’s 2 percent target. This would elevate Germany’s military standing globally and have significant consequences for European defense. While the SPD agrees on the need to bolster Germany's armed forces, it opposes going as far as the CDU's proposed increase.

In light of U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to scale back America’s defense commitments to Europe, Merz's party is also advocating for the reintroduction of mandatory military service.

The SPD, however, wishes to maintain a voluntary military service model, a policy Germany adopted after abolishing compulsory service for men in 2011.

The drafts, which stem from cross-party working groups assigned to various policy areas, were submitted on Monday. Afterward, leadership teams from both parties will engage in final negotiations to create a unified coalition agreement. Although both parties initially hoped to conclude talks by Easter, they have since prioritized substance over speed, recognizing that the content of the agreement is more important than the timeline.