Merkel- Schulz talks aim to break coalition logjam
Berlin, Nov. 30: Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold first talks on Thursday with Social Democrat chief Martin Schulz hoping to end Germany’s political stalemate, but the atmosphere has already been poisoned by disobedience within her ranks.
Held at the invitation of President Frank- Walter Steinmeier, the talks at 8: 00 pm will explore whether both sides are ready to launch negotiations on forming Germany’s next government.
After September’s elections left Ms Merkel without a majority, the SPD firmly ruled out renewing an alliance as it suffered a humiliating loss at the polls.
But as Ms Merkel’s bid at forming a coalition with the ecologist Greens and pro- business FDP fell apart earlier this month, the SPD came under pressure to relent and avert snap elections.
Public opinion also appeared to be behind the two sides opening talks, with a poll commissioned by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung showing 61 per cent of Germans want the SPD to enter coalition talks with Ms Merkel’s conservatives. Spiegel weekly noted that Thursday’s meeting, which also ropes in Horst Seehofer — leader of Merkel’s Bavarian allies — was crucial for the chancellor.
“For Merkel, it’s a fight for political survival that’s starting,” said Spiegel.
“Merkel must do everything to forge this alliance — the only one that would ensure stable power,” it added.
But the talks are clouded by a political storm sparked this week by a member of her conservatives, Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt, who flouted the government’s line by voting in favour of approving a disputed weedkiller during an EU meeting.