Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (SDU) has reached a breakthrough deal with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) regarding the distribution of ministerial posts, according to DPA.

The SPD received control of the foreign, finance, and labor and social affairs ministries, while the CDU will have control of the ministry of economic affairs and the ministry of defense, according to BILD.

Around 450,000 SPD members still have to agree to the deal, a process expected to take about three weeks. Only after ratification will the new federal government formally come into effect.

The agreement would bring Germany closer to finally establishing a new government – a process that has dragged on since November’s parliamentary election.