Merkel ‘skeptical’ on minority government
European powerhouse’s political status uncertain after coalition talks fall apart
BERLIN— Germany, Europe’s largest economy and anchor of stability, is facing the prospect of months of political uncertainty after Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives were unable to form a coalition with two smaller parties, raising the likelihood of new elections.
Merkel said Monday that she was “very skeptical” about trying to forge ahead with a minority government — a setup that has never been tried in post-Second World War Germany — after talks with the left-leaning Greens and pro-business Free Democrats broke down hours earlier. Her current coalition partner, the centreleft Social Democrat party, has remained adamant it will go into opposition after a disastrous result in September’s election.
Even if it comes to new elections, a poll Monday for the broadcaster RTL indicated little change in support for the various parties, suggesting there would be similarly difficult prospects in forming a coalition.
Immediately after the talks broke down just before midnight Sunday, Merkel pledged she would do every- thing possible to ensure Germany would continue to be well-led. Later she said that while the situation was regrettable, “we nevertheless have stability in our country.” Her comments came after German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier appealed to political leaders to re- think their positions and try again to form a new government.
“We now face a situation that we haven’t had in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, so in nearly 70 years,” Steinmeier told reporters after meeting Merkel. It is Steinmeier who will have to decide whether to pave the way for a minority government or call a new election.
“This is the moment at which all parties should pause and reconsider their position,” he said. “I expect from everyone readiness to talk, in order to make the formation of a government possible in the foreseeable future.”
Merkel spent four weeks haggling with the Free Democrats and the Greens on a new, untried governing coalition until the Free Democrats walked out Sunday night.
Martin Schulz, the leader of her current coalition partner, reiterated Monday his party was “not available” for a repeat, even without Merkel in charge, and a minority government “is not practicable in Germany.”
Steinmeier said he will meet leaders of the parties involved in the failed talks and others in the coming days. It’s likely to be months before the situation is resolved.
If neither the Free Democrats nor the Social Democrats budge, that leaves as the only options another election or a minority government. The German Constitution doesn’t allow parliament to dissolve itself, so the decision lies with Steinmeier.
“I don’t have a minority government in my plans,” Merkel said in an interview Monday with ARD public television. “I don’t want to say ‘never’ today, but I am very skeptical and I think that new elections would then be the better way.”
Other European countries expressed concern, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying “it’s not in our interest for it to get tense.” Steinmeier underlined that worry.
“There would be incomprehension and great concern inside and outside our country, and particularly in our European neighbourhood, if the political forces in the biggest and economically strongest country in Europe of all places didn’t fulfil their responsibility,” he said.