BERLIN: The leader of Bavaria’s conservatives threw his weight behind an alliance with Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) on Sunday, adding to momentum for a new ‘grand coalition’ to break the political deadlock in Europe’s biggest economy.
Conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose fourth term was plunged into doubt a week ago when three-way coalition talks with the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and Greens collapsed, was handed a political lifeline by the SPD on Friday.
Under intense pressure to preserve stability and avoid new elections, the SPD reversed its position and agreed to talk to Merkel, raising the prospect of a new grand coalition, which has ruled for the last four years, or a minority government.
“An alliance of the conservatives and SPD is the best option for Germany — better, anyway than a coalition with the Free Democrats and Greens, new elections or a minority government,” Horst Seehofer, head of Bavaria’s CSU, told Bild am Sonntag.
Several European leaders have stressed the importance of getting a stable German government in place quickly so that the bloc can discuss its future, including Brexit and proposals by French President Emmanuel Macron on euro zone reforms.
Merkel says Berlin can do business as things stands as she is leading an acting government with most of her former ministers, including SPD ones, still in post until a new coalition is formed. — Reuters
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