BERLIN - Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) formally approved a coalition agreement with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Monday, paving the way for a new federal government led by CDU leader Friedrich Merz.

Meeting in Berlin, the party's federal committee voted to accept the coalition treaty, with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), having approved the deal earlier this month.

Merz, the expected next German Chancellor, addressed the CDU delegates prior to the vote, promising swift policy changes, particularly in economic and migration matters.

He specified that border controls would be tightened following the formation of the new government.

"Next week, Germany will once again have a government capable of acting, with a working majority in the German Bundestag. Then, in a new government, we can finally begin to solve our country's problems step by step," Merz said.

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CSU leader Markus Soeder on Monday also announced the party's three designated ministers for the new federal government.

Alexander Dobrindt, chairman of the CSU parliamentary group, is nominated to become federal interior minister.

The CSU's vice chairwoman Dorothee Baer is set to lead the ministry for research and space while Alois Rainer, a Bundestag member since 2013 who is also a trained butcher and took over his family business at a young age, is nominated as minister for food and agriculture.

The final step now rests with the SPD. The party's members are still voting on the agreement.

Merz is expected to be elected chancellor on May 6.