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Germany coalition: Merkel to meet SPD in new bid for deal Germany coalition: Merkel and SPD to meet in new bid for deal
(about 2 hours later)
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. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her ex-coalition partners Social Democrats are to hold discussions in efforts to end a political impasse.
Earlier, the SPD softened its stance and said it was open for discussions. The centre-left SPD has softened its stance, saying it is open for talks.
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. Leader Martin Schulz had refused to renew a coalition with Mrs Merkel's conservatives but came under pressure from allies to change his position.
Mrs Merkel failed to form a coalition government with the liberal Free Democrats and the Greens this week.Mrs Merkel failed to form a coalition government with the liberal Free Democrats and the Greens this week.
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. German President Frank Walter Steinmeier will host Mr Schulz and Mrs Merkel for talks next week.
Mr Schulz, who met Mr Steinmeier on Thursday, said he would ask his party to vote on whether to take part in another coalition. What is Schulz's position?
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. He had strongly rejected joining a coalition led by Mrs Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) and promised to take his party into opposition.
On Friday morning, 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". But in a slight shift on Friday, he did not categorically rule out a new alliance, saying that "nothing [was] automatic" on the party's direction.
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. "But one thing is very clear: if a discussion results in us deciding to participate in any form whatsoever in the formation of a government, we will put it to a vote of party members."
Mrs Merkel's ministers remain in office in a caretaker role, as the election produced no overall majority. On Thursday, Mr Schulz met President Steinmeier, who is trying to break the stalemate by talking to party leaders. He then had eight hours of late-night talks with SPD leaders.
Facing the biggest crisis of her political career, Mrs Merkel has said she would prefer new elections to an unstable minority government. The SPD governed in coalition with Mrs Merkel between 2013 and 2017. But Mr Schulz promised to change course after September's election, when his party had its worst result since 1949.
Until a government is agreed, Mrs Merkel continues as acting chancellor, while the newly-elected German parliament sits as normal. What could happen?
In the meantime, who is governing?
Mrs Merkel's ministers remain in office in a caretaker role, as the September election produced no overall majority.
Until a government is agreed, she continues as acting chancellor, while the newly-elected German parliament sits as normal.
The delay in forming a new coalition has worried some European Union allies, who see Germany as a pillar of stability in the bloc.
Speaking in Brussels, Mrs Merkel said Germany continued to have a government committed to the EU.
"We are conducting the consultations we need with our parliament in order to be capable of taking the necessary decisions."