Germany: Angela Merkel could legalize cannabis under pressure from her future coalition

Members of Germany's potential coalition government, including Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, are reportedly nearing an agreement to legalize cannabis.

Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and its ally, the Christian Social Union, won the September election but lost many seats and do not have a clear majority. To begin her fourth term, Merkel needs a strong coalition to help her govern.

Negotiations are underway with the Greens (Grün) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP). Interestingly enough, the coalition has been nicknamed «Jamaica,» a reference to the colors of the country’s flag and those of each party: green for the Greens, yellow for the Liberals, and black for the Conservatives.

The alliance is expected to formalize a policy agreement on cannabis toward the end of the talks, after all other issues have been addressed, according to the Stuttgarter-Zeitung. In particular, cannabis would be sold in pharmacies.

«We're ready to do that,» said Fritz Becker, president of the German Pharmacists' Association, on the subject.

«Retailers could thus »provide advice on risks and side effects, ensure good customer service, and guarantee product quality,'" he added.

Other issues are at stake in this potential coalition government, including immigration and climate policy.

If the negotiations result in an agreement to legalize cannabis, Germany would be the second country in just a few weeks where a cross-party government is pushing to end prohibition. New Zealand’s governing coalition has, in fact, led Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to announce a referendum on the legalization of cannabis by 2020.