This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-42079737
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| German coalition talks: Merkel seeks to break stalemate | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The German president is pursuing efforts to broker a coalition deal which might include the centre-left Social Democrats. | The German president is pursuing efforts to broker a coalition deal which might include the centre-left Social Democrats. |
| The move comes after talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats party, the pro-business Free Democrats and the Greens collapsed. | |
| A "grand coalition" between Mrs Merkel's conservative party and the Social Democrats (SPD) is one option. | A "grand coalition" between Mrs Merkel's conservative party and the Social Democrats (SPD) is one option. |
| Another option is new elections, a path preferred by Mrs Merkel. | Another option is new elections, a path preferred by Mrs Merkel. |
| The FDP said it would not dismiss the possibility of further talks with Ms Merkel's conservatives and the Greens on a coalition government if a "completely new package" of proposals was put on the table. | |
| "If it really was possible to build a modern republic in the coming years, then we are the last ones who would refuse to talk. I can't imagine that this will work," the Free Democrats' Secretary General Nicola Beer said to German television station NTV. | |
| Germany has been without a stable government since elections on 24 September produced no overall majority. | Germany has been without a stable government since elections on 24 September produced no overall majority. |
| This week, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is meeting separately with the leaders of the political parties in order to try to break the stalemate. | This week, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is meeting separately with the leaders of the political parties in order to try to break the stalemate. |
| Pressure is growing on the SPD to try to form a coalition with Ms Merkel's party. The SPD has so far refused to enter into a "grand coalition" of the two largest parties in the German parliament. | Pressure is growing on the SPD to try to form a coalition with Ms Merkel's party. The SPD has so far refused to enter into a "grand coalition" of the two largest parties in the German parliament. |
| Andrea Nahles, head of the SPD parliamentary group, said the party did not want to prop up Mrs Merkel again. | Andrea Nahles, head of the SPD parliamentary group, said the party did not want to prop up Mrs Merkel again. |
| "We are not an emergency stop-gap for Merkel," she said. | "We are not an emergency stop-gap for Merkel," she said. |
| Ms Merkel met Mr Steinmeier on Monday. | Ms Merkel met Mr Steinmeier on Monday. |
| Facing the biggest crisis of her political career, the chancellor has said she would prefer new elections to an unstable minority government. | Facing the biggest crisis of her political career, the chancellor has said she would prefer new elections to an unstable minority government. |
| The finance minister and chancellery head, Peter Altmaier, has urged the parties to sort out the situation. | The finance minister and chancellery head, Peter Altmaier, has urged the parties to sort out the situation. |
| "We must be in a situation in the next three weeks where there is clarity about whether there can be a stable government on the basis of this election result," Mr Altmaier told ZDF television. | "We must be in a situation in the next three weeks where there is clarity about whether there can be a stable government on the basis of this election result," Mr Altmaier told ZDF television. |
| Until a government is agreed, Ms Merkel continues as acting chancellor and previous ministers remain in post, while the German parliament sits as normal. | Until a government is agreed, Ms Merkel continues as acting chancellor and previous ministers remain in post, while the German parliament sits as normal. |