# CDU/CSU-FDP coalition replaces grand coalition

Date: 2009

The [Christian Democratic Union of Germany](/organizations/christian-democratic-union-of-germany) is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany.

### September ballot ends the first Merkel grand coalition

Germany held a federal parliamentary election on 27 September 2009 that enabled [Angela Merkel](/people/angela-merkel)'s CDU/CSU alliance to form a coalition with the liberal Free Democratic Party instead of continuing government with the [Social Democrats](/organizations/social-democrats). The Federal Returning Officer recorded 70.8 percent turnout and 14.6 percent of valid second votes for the FDP, which secured 93 seats. CDU won 194 seats and the Bavarian CSU won 45. Together the three parties controlled a majority in the new Bundestag.

From 2005 through 2009, Merkel had led a grand coalition of CDU/CSU with the Social Democratic Party, her main national electoral rival. In the 2009 election the SPD won 23.0 percent of second votes and 146 seats, a heavy setback from its previous result. The seat distribution permitted Merkel to negotiate with FDP leader [Guido Westerwelle](/people/guido-westerwelle) and CSU leader Horst Seehofer. On 26 October, the three party chairpersons signed a coalition agreement in Berlin titled Growth, Education, Unity, following negotiations and internal approvals.

The 17th Bundestag elected Merkel chancellor again on 28 October 2009. The coalition pursued tax, energy and economic policies shaped by the aftermath of the global financial crisis; later it dealt with the euro-area debt crisis. The [German Bundestag](/organizations/german-bundestag)'s retrospective notes that the FDP achieved its strongest second-vote result in 2009 and the SPD moved into opposition. Unlike the military takeovers associated with [doumbouya junta transition](/drivers/doumbouya-junta-transition), [traore junta aes](/drivers/traore-junta-aes) and [goita junta and aes break](/drivers/goita-junta-and-aes-break), this change of cabinet followed a competitive national election and parliamentary coalition formation. The immediate democratic consequence was replacement of one governing party partnership by another, while the chancellorship and constitutional institutions continued.

## Sources

- https://www.bundeskanzler.de/bk-en/news/chancellor-angela-merkel-sworn-in-473730
- https://bundeswahlleiterin.de/en/bundestagswahlen/2009.html
- https://archiv.cdu.de/node/955

## Methodology

https://factrail.ai/methodology

Canonical: https://factrail.ai/facts/cdu-csu-fdp-coalition-replaces-grand-coalition-2009