Berlin: Chancellor Angela Merkel and Social Democrat chief Martin Schulz said on Friday they are ready to start talks on ending Germany’s political deadlock, although they may not share the same idea on what shape any future cooperation would take. Firmly denying that an agreement had been reached on opening negotiations on a grand right-left coalition, Schulz said that all options remained on the table.
Merkel’s party stressed, however, that was it was seeking is a renewal of its alliance with the SPD, to form a “stable government” for Europe’s biggest economy.
After September’s election left the veteran leader without a majority and the SPD with a historic low score, the labour party firmly rejected ruling again Merkel’s shadow.
But it came under pressure to relent and head off fresh elections after Merkel’s bid to form a coalition with the ecologist Greens and pro-business FDP fell apart last month.
Following first talks with Merkel late on Thursday, Schulz said he would recommend that the SPD begin formal discussions with her conservatives but firmly denied a media report this meant he was committing to joining a new government.
Schulz said he had telephoned the CDU leader to say that any such claims from her conservatives to the media would be viewed as “a breach of trust”.
“We have several options for forming a government,” he said. “We should discuss all of these options and that is what I will recommend to the party leadership on Monday.”
The SPD’s top brass will then present their recommendation to party rank and file during their congress from Thursday.
“It doesn’t automatically mean a grand coalition, we have time and we will also discuss other possible options during the SPD party congress,” said Schulz.
At the same time, the SPD chief began naming his conditions, stressing in particular that he wants Germany to back French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative to reform the European Union.
“We need a different Europe and the initiatives that the French president has suggested should not be given a ‘no’ from Berlin or left unanswered,” he said, referring to Macron’s ideas of creating a new euro zone finance minister position and giving the 19-member zone its own budget.
The meeting of the SPD’s rank and file next Thursday will be a key date as Germany anxiously awaits signs of its next government.
— AFP
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