Weakened Merkel begins coalition talks

ANGELA MERKEL began talks on forming a new coalition yesterday, more than three weeks after suffering damaging election losses.

“This will be among the hardest coalition negotiations in the history of the federal republic,” said Volker Bouffier, a senior figure in her Christian Democrat Party (CDU).

Mrs Merkel appeared upbeat as she held separate meetings in Berlin with the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the Green Party. She will need the support of both to command a majority in parliament.

Negotiations are expected to be drawn out, with the three parties divided on key issues including immigration and European Union reform, and it could be January before a new government is formed. Christian Lindner, the FDP leader, called for Germany to start planning for life after Mrs Merkel in an interview ahead of the talks. “I expect the CDU to open a debate over the succession to Angela Merkel over the next four years,” he told Stern magazine.

The start of discussions was postponed until after last weekend’s regional elections in Lower Saxony. Mrs Merkel used the delay to patch up differences over immigration with her Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), whose support she will need if she is to form a government.

Mrs Merkel’s biggest issue may be getting the FDP and the Greens to work together. The two parties are to meet today without the CDU to see if they can find common ground. All three parties are due to meet tomorrow.