Germany’s SPD to study Merkel’s migrant deal with Bavaria

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Social Democrats (SPD) coalition partners want to scrutinize a compromise on migrant policy she struck with her Bavarian allies before they agree to it. The deal envisages special transit zones at the German border with Austria where migrants already registered in other EU countries will be held. Before Merkel can go ahead, the SPD, who share power in the three-way coalition, also has to agree, and the party’s lawmakers are discussing it on Tuesday. Previously, the SPD had rejected such centers. The head of the SPD’s Jusos youth wing, Kevin Kuehnert, said the SPD has spoken out against closed institutions for asylum seekers “and therefore I do not expect us to simply nod this through.” However, it seems unlikely that the SPD will torpedo the deal and trigger another political crisis, Reuters reports.