Schulz gives up on foreign minister bid

Martin Schulz, the leader of Germany’s centre-left Social Democrats, has said he is giving up on plans to become the country’s foreign minister amid turbulence in his party after it clinched a coalition deal with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives.

Mr Schulz said the success of the membership ballot was endangered by the discussion about his future.

He said: “So I am hereby declaring that I will not enter the government and fervently hope that this ends the personnel debates inside the Social Democratic Party.”

The job is currently held by Sigmar Gabriel.

Mr Gabriel handed the party leadership to Mr Schulz a year ago and has gone on to become one of Germany’s most popular politicians since taking on the role of foreign minister.

It is not certain that the Social Democrats and conservatives will enter into government. Social Democrat leaders are putting the coalition deal agreed on Wednesday to a ballot of all their members.