Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and chancellor designate Angela Merkel smiles during a congress at the CDU headquarters in Berlin, November 14, 2005.  (Xinhua/AFP photo)

Bavarian state premier Edmund Stoiber holds up his voting card during a party convention of Bavaria's conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) in Munich November 14, 2005. (Xinhua/AFP photo)

(L to R) Social Democrats (SPD) party leader designate and Brandenburg state Premier Matthias Platzeck, outgoing German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and outgoing Social Democrats party leader Franz Muentefering greet delegates, on the first day of the Social Democrats party congress, in Karlsruhe. Germany's major parties gave overwhelming support to the incoming left-right government under Angela Merkel, clearing the last hurdle for her to become the country's first female chancellor. (Xinhua/AFP photo)

    BERLIN, Nov. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- German outgoing Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democratic Party (SPD) gave Monday the green light to a grand coalition government.

    In a show of hands by SPD delegates at a party congress in Karlsruhe, almost 500 voted for the grand coalition between the SPD and Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), 15 voted against and five abstained.

    Earlier in the day, the CDU approved here the marriage with 112 CDU executive members voted in favor, three voted against and one abstained.

    CDU's Bavarian sister party Christian Social Union (CSU) unanimously passed the coalition in Munich later Monday at its party congress.

    The approval by the parties cleared the way for Merkel to be elected on Nov. 22 first German female chancellor by the parliament.

    The CDU/CSU and SPD had been forced into a grand coalition as both parties failed to achieve majority in the Sept. 18 elections.

    Germany saw such marriage only once at the end of 1960s. Enditem