Germany’s Social Democrats to talk with Merkel on new gov’t
BERLIN — Leaders of Germany’s centre-left Social Democrats agreed Friday to enter exploratory talks on joining or supporting a new government under Chancellor Angela Merkel, moving unprecedentedly long efforts to form a new administration a small step forward.
Merkel’s conservative Union bloc and the Social Democrats have governed Germany together since 2013 in a “grand coalition” of the country’s biggest parties. The Social Democrats initially said they would go into opposition after a disastrous election result in September.
The party reluctantly reconsidered after Merkel’s talks with two smaller parties collapsed last month, but party leader Martin Schulz — Merkel’s defeated challenger in September — is treading carefully to avoid alienating a membership that is deeply suspicious of another coalition.
If the Social Democrats don’t enter a coalition with Merkel’s bloc, that would leave an unprecedented minority government led by Merkel or a new election as possibilities. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who alone has the power to dissolve parliament, has made it clear he doesn’t want a new election.