Coalition deal in Germany vital for EU, says Merkel

Crucial vote by social democrat allies could determine future of long-serving Chancellor

ANGELA MERKEL yesterday urged her political rivals to back a deal for a new coalition government in order to strengthen the European Union, ahead of a crucial vote this weekend. “To act in Europe it is vital that Germany has a stable government,” Mrs Merkel said at a joint press conference with Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

“Germany and France can and should take the lead on many European questions and therefore I understand France’s impatience for us to form a new government.”

The French president added his support. “Our ambition cannot come to fruition alone. It needs to match Germany’s ambition,” he said.

The two leaders were speaking ahead of a vote by the centre-left Social Democrat Party (SPD) tomorrow on whether to join a new coalition with Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU). Commentators predict the vote could be too close to call amid a growing rebellion from the SPD’S grass roots against a new coalition.

Martin Schulz, the SPD leader, warned yesterday a “no” vote could be disastrous for his party, as he tried to shore up support.

“If the party rejects a coalition it will lead to new elections, and fast,” he told Der Spiegel magazine yesterday. “If parties who represent a majority in the Bundestag fail to form a government, they will be punished by the voters.”

A “no” vote would also prevent the party pursuing its core policies in government, he argued.

The SPD is to vote on a deal drawn up last week with the CDU, following the collapse of Mrs Merkel’s talks with smaller parties. If it rejects the deal, it could leave Mrs Merkel with a precarious hold on power. With no more coalition partners available, she will face a choice between early elections and trying to form a minority government.

Yesterday she was keen to stress her shared European vision with Mr Macron. “It is a Europe that must have a common foreign policy on strategic questions, a Europe that must create its own development policies, a Europe of defence, and it is a Europe that has to be economically strong,” she said.

Mr Schulz, who wants a “United States of Europe”, claimed credit for the proposed coalition deal’s pledge to support major eurozone reform. “On one of the most important questions, Europe, the Social Democrats have really achieved something,” he said.

However, he has had to defend himself against claims he had failed to win enough concessions from Mrs Merkel.

Mr Schulz is fighting for his own political future, after changing his mind over joining a Merkel-led coalition in the face of a revolt from his MPS.

Now he is facing a wider rebellion from the party activists incensed at the U-turn. If the SPD votes against a new coalition, he is thought likely to resign.