Merkel vows to serve her full four-year term as chancellor

ANGELA MERKEL said yesterday that she intends to serve another full term as German chancellor, and denied that the “painful” concessions she was forced to make to the Social Democrats (SPD) during coalition negotiations have undermined her authority.

In an interview with ZDF, Germany’s public broadcaster, Mrs Merkel refuted suggestions that she would give up the party chairmanship, holding firm against critics who said that she had sold out in order to remain in power.

“I ran for a four-year term,” she said, referring to Germany’s federal election in September, in which Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won the largest share of the vote, but not a majority. “I promised those four years and I’m someone who keeps their

‘I ran for a four-year term. I promised those four years and I’m someone who keeps their promises’

promises,” Mrs Merkel said.

Mrs Merkel finally managed to reach an agreement on forming a new coalition government with the centre-left SPD last Wednesday. However, she admitted on Sunday that she was forced to make difficult concessions. Many of her conservative supporters feel the next government will have an Spdstamped agenda.

Referring to the role of finance minister, a position which was secured by the SPD, she said: “I understand the disappointment. This is painful with the minister of finance,” she said.

However, she also added that “from my point of view it is also acceptable”.

Olaf Scholz, an SPD politician who is expected to become the next minister of finance, said on Saturday that Germany should not dictate economic policies to its eurozone partners and signalled that there would now be a break with the past.