Analysis of the Coalition Agreement: How Merkel's New Government Intends to Govern

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The conservatives and FDP are setting ambitious education policy goals in their agreement, which seeks to build an "education republic … with the best child care facilities, the best schools, the best vocational schools, the best colleges and the best research institutes." The next government plans to increase expenditures on education and research by €12 billion annually by 2013. The contract states its goal is to "provide equal opportunities from the start, social mobility and fair prospects for all."

One focus area will also be early childhood education. It notes that every fifth youth in Germany has "such low competence in reading and math that there is a risk they won't have a chance in the training and labor market. That is why we must act preventatively and as early as possible in a person's education," the coalition partners write.

The conservatives and the FDP also want to increase the number of young people who attend universities and places of higher education. "We are setting the goal of increasing the number of new students," they wrote. In the future, more first time students will also be able to "be promoted to universities through their professional training."

The next government also wants to further promote biotechnology, which it said represents a "great opportunity for Germany as a business and science center as well as its international competitiveness."

The coalition is also ascribing great important to stem-cell research, which it says offer opportunities in health care. "We want to ensure that Germany is able to take these opportunities seriously," the contract states. The ethically controversial research will succeed "based on current law and a dialogue with all actors in society."

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• Part 1: How Merkel's New Government Intends to Govern
• Part 2: Taxation, Finances, Budget
• Part 3: Labor, Social Insurance and Pensions
• Part 4: Economy, Energy and Development of the former East German States
• Part 5: Domestic Security, Justice and Internet
• Part 6: Defense, Foreign Policy, Development
• Part 7: Health
• Part 8: Family, Integration and Culture
• Part 9: Environment, Consumers and Agriculture
• Part 10: Construction, Housing and Transportation
• Part 11: Education and Research