BERLIN: German election winner Friedrich Merz's conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) concluded preliminary talks on forming a coalition government on Saturday (Mar 8), promising to get tough on illegal migration, support industry and boost the economy. Chancellor-in-waiting Merz wants to form a coalition by Easter, which falls on April 20 this year. He has warned it was "five minutes to midnight" for Europe to fend for itself against a hostile Russia, with the US under President Donald