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German coalition: SPD 'open to talks' to end political deadlock Germany coalition: Merkel and SPD to hold talks
(about 3 hours later)
Germany's centre-left Social Democrats say they are open to talks with other parties to try to end the stalemate, after Chancellor Angela Merkel failed to form a coalition government. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her ex-coalition partners, the centre-left Social Democrats, are to hold talks in efforts to end a political impasse.
SPD leader Martin Schulz had refused to form a coalition with Mrs Merkel's conservatives and said the party would go into opposition. Earlier, the SPD softened its stance and said it was open for discussions.
But he is under pressure to reconsider an alliance amid the political impasse. Leader Martin Schulz, who has refused to renew a coalition with Mrs Merkel's conservatives, is under pressure from party allies to change his position.
The announcement makes it less likely that a snap election will be needed. Mrs Merkel failed to form a coalition government with the liberal Free Democrats and the Greens this week.
"The SPD will not say no to discussions," SPD General Secretary Hubertus Heil said after eight hours of late-night talks between top SPD politicians. German President Frank Walter Steinmeier, who is holding talks with party leaders in efforts to break the stalemate and avoid a snap election, said he would host the talks between Mrs Merkel and the SPD next week.
Mr Schulz, who met Mr Steinmeier on Thursday, said that he would ask his party to vote on whether to take part in another coalition.
The SPD was in government with Mrs Merkel between 2013 and 2017 and said it would not renew the deal following the 24 September election, when the party had its worst election result since 1949.
After eight hours of late-night talks between top SPD politicians, the party's General Secretary Hubertus Heil said the SPD would "not say no to discussions".
However, he did not say which parties the SPD would negotiate with, nor if they would join another "grand coalition" led by Mrs Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Christian Social Union (CSU) allies.However, he did not say which parties the SPD would negotiate with, nor if they would join another "grand coalition" led by Mrs Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Christian Social Union (CSU) allies.
The SPD was in government with Mrs Merkel in 2013-2017 and said it would not renew the deal following the 24 September election, when the party had its worst election result since 1949. Mrs Merkel's ministers remain in office in a caretaker role, as the election produced no overall majority.
Earlier on Thursday Mr Schulz met President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is holding talks with party leaders, in an effort to broker a new coalition deal and avoid an early election.
Germany has been without a stable government since the election produced no overall majority. Negotiations for a coalition between the CDU/CSU, the liberal Free Democrats and the Greens collapsed this week.
Facing the biggest crisis of her political career, Mrs Merkel has said she would prefer new elections to an unstable minority government.Facing the biggest crisis of her political career, Mrs Merkel has said she would prefer new elections to an unstable minority government.
Until a government is agreed, Mrs Merkel continues as acting chancellor and previous ministers remain in post, while the German parliament sits as normal. Until a government is agreed, Mrs Merkel continues as acting chancellor, while the newly-elected German parliament sits as normal.