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The '''Social Democratic Party''' or '''SPD''' is a left-center party in Germany. From 2005 to 2009 it formed a "grand coalition government" (a coalition between the two largest parties) with the rival [[CDU]]. In the German elections in 2009, the SPD suffered a historical loss of 9,2 % of the vote, reaching only 23 % in total. This gave the CDU (which reached 33,8% combined with its sister-party CSU) the possibility to form a conservative coalition with the 'Free Democratic Party of Germany', the [[FDP]]. This was considered a 'dream marriage', as opposed to the 'shotgun marriage'-coalition with the SPD. In the elections in 2013 the FDP got only 4,8 %, why it left the parliament. So the SPD formed a coalition with the CDU again.

The '''Social Democratic Party''' or '''SPD''' is a left-center party in Germany. From 2005 to 2009 it formed a "grand coalition government" (a coalition between the two largest parties) with the rival [[CDU]]. In the German elections in 2009, the SPD suffered a historical loss of 9,2 % of the vote, reaching only 23 % in total. This gave the CDU (which reached 33,8% combined with its sister-party CSU) the possibility to form a conservative coalition with the 'Free Democratic Party of Germany', the [[FDP]]. This was considered a 'dream marriage', as opposed to the 'shotgun marriage'-coalition with the SPD. In the elections in 2013 the FDP got only 4,8 %, why it left the parliament. So the SPD formed a coalition with the CDU again.

Current leader of the SPD is Sigmar Gabriel, succeeding Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who had been vice chancellor and minister of foreign affairs during the grand coalition. The SPD is a member of the [[Socialist International]].

Current leader of the SPD is Sigmar Gabriel, succeeding Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who had been vice chancellor and minister of foreign affairs during the grand coalition. The SPD is a member of the [[Socialist International]] and its youth organization is called "[[Jusos]]" (Young Socialists).

==Goals==

==Goals==