Merkel’s coalition partner hit by infighting

A ROW threatened to destabilise Angela Merkel’s efforts to form a German government yesterday as infighting broke out in her main coalition partner.

The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) are in crisis following their leader Martin Schulz’s decision to stand down after losing the confidence of the party.

Andrea Nahles, a 47-year-old former employment minister, is favourite to succeed him and become the first woman to lead the party, but a row broke out yesterday over attempts to install her without a contest.

Simone Lang, the relatively unknown mayor of Flensburg, a city near the Danish border, said she would also stand, in order to force a vote.

Meanwhile, three powerful SPD regional associations promised to block any attempt to appoint Ms Nahles as interim leader until an election is held.

The dispute comes a week before the start of a postal vote by the SPD’S 460,000 members on whether to join a new coalition under Mrs Merkel.

Ms Nahles is planning to tour the country to persuade wavering party members to support the coalition deal, but it is not clear whether she will be able to do so as leader.