Coalition negotiations between Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD) have reached a critical phase, with migration policy emerging as a major point of contention in Berlin.

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil drew a firm line on March 7th, stating 'The SPD will not agree to de facto border closures' [1]. This directly challenges CDU's campaign promise of implementing strict border controls and migration restrictions.

The disagreement comes after both parties reached a preliminary agreement on a major financial package for defense and infrastructure spending, which would require constitutional changes to Germany's debt rules [1][2].

CSU Parliamentary Group leader Alexander Dobrindt indicated negotiations may extend through the weekend, noting 'I expect this will take some more time, but we've said the weekend is available' [2].

The CDU's proposed migration plan includes five key points:- Permanent border controls with neighboring countries- Entry bans for those without valid documentation- Detention of individuals subject to deportation- Federal support for deportation enforcement- Indefinite detention for criminal offenders pending deportation [1]

CDU officials have signaled migration policy is non-negotiable. Baden-Württemberg CDU leader Manuel Hagel warned that 'without real policy changes on migration, economy and state modernization, there is no automatism for a coalition with the SPD' [1].

The negotiations require resolution of several other key issues including the federal budget, economic competitiveness, social welfare, and internal security [3]. Any coalition agreement would need approval from both parties' memberships.