Merkel, SPD under renewed fire over German coalition

SPD could reject deal in a ballot whose results will be known on March 4

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leader of the Social Democrats (SPD) faced further criticism yesterday from within their own parties over a new coalition deal that must still be approved by disgruntled SPD rank-and-file members.

Germany has been without a proper government since an inconclusive election last September, which saw Merkel’s conservatives and the centre-left SPD both lose seats and a farright party enter the Bundestag lower house for the first time.

Merkel annoyed members of her Christian Democrats (CDU) by agreeing in the coalition talks to cede the finance ministry to the SPD. And members of the SPD could yet reject the coalition deal in a ballot whose results will be announced on March 4.

On Sunday Merkel defended “painful” concessions she made to the SPD to win herself a fourth term as chancellor, and she said criticism among her conservatives was not a sign her authority was waning.

Final term

Guenther Oettinger, a senior CDU member and the European Union’s budget commissioner, rushed to her defence yesterday: “I find her still strong … and am sure she will meet the expectations of our party and the public in the coming days.” But Oettinger also conceded that this would be her final term as chancellor, if the new ‘grand coalition’ goes ahead, addressing a succession debate that is starting to take hold as the CDU slowly starts to look ahead to a post-Merkel era.

“It is clear to everyone that the chancellor is going into a last term,” he told Deutschlandfunk radio, adding that she would “skilfully set in motion the succession in these four years”.

Paul Ziemiak, leader of the conservatives’ youth wing, welcomed Merkel’s readiness to set out her picks for ministerial posts before a CDU party conference on Feb. 26, but lamented the decision to give up the powerful finance ministry to the SPD.

Merkel said on Sunday that if SPD members rejected the coalition agreement, Germany would probably hold a new election.