Social-liberal coalition

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Social-liberal coalition (sozialliberale Koalition) in Germany refers to a government coalition formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Free Democratic Party.

The term stems from social democracy of the SPD and the liberalism of the FDP. Because of the colors used to symbolize the two parties, such a coalition is also referred to as a "red-yellow" coalition (rot-gelbe Koalition).

Social-liberal coalitions are rare these days, as the SPD usually governs with the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and the FDP orients itself towards long-term co-operation with the CDU/CSU. An SPD-FDP alliance is nevertheless often discussed, also as a model for central government. A social-liberal coalition ruled from 1991 to 2006 in the German Land Rhineland-Palatinate and would have continued to do so, had the SPD not won an absolute majority. Social-liberal coalitions have previously been in power in many other federal states of Germany as well.

From 1969 to 1982 social-liberal coalitions led by chancellors Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt governed the Federal Republic of Germany.