Germany: Merkel plays down talk of coalition crisis

BERLIN

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday sought to play down the leadership crisis at her coalition partner Social Democratic Party (SPD), insisting that she doesn’t see “a signal of instability” for the government.

Speaking at a news conference in Weimar following a meeting of her Christian Democratic bloc (CDU/CSU), Merkel said the ongoing leadership debate within the SPD would not undermine the work of her “grand coalition” government.

“I know the three interim leaders, we worked together during the coalition talks,” Merkel said, referring to three senior members of the SPD, who were chosen on Monday by the party’s executive as caretaker leaders.

"I don't have the impression that a sign of instability will come out of that,” Merkel stressed.

The SPD’s chairwoman Andrea Nahles formally resigned from her position on Monday, amid growing criticism over the SPD’s big losses in last month’s European elections and the regional elections in Bremen.

The Social Democrats have chosen three senior members Manuela Schwesig, Malu Dreyer and Thorsten Schaefer-Gumbel, to provisionally lead the SPD until a new leader will be elected.

Schaefer-Gumbel said the SPD’s executive board will meet on June 24 to discuss further steps.