Germany: President in talks over government crisis

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

Germany’s president Frank-Walter Steinmeier held talks Thursday evening with leaders of the centre-left and centre-right parties to seek grounds for a coalition government.

Steinmeier brought together German Chancellor and Christian Democratic Union's (CDU) leader Angela Merkel, Christian Social Union (CSU) leader Horst Seehofer and Social Democrat Party (SPD) chief Martin Schulz to discuss the possibility of forming a grand coalition.

After meeting more than two hours, the leaders left the presidential palace, Bellevue, without making any statement to reporters.

Chancellor Merkel announced earlier that her Christian Democratic bloc (CDU/CSU) was ready to enter coalition talks with the SPD.

The Social Democrat leader Schulz previously opposed a coalition with Merkel’s conservatives, but accepted the invitation of President Steinmeier and said he will consult party's executive board on Friday, before making any decision on further steps.

Merkel’s CDU/CSU was the largest bloc after federal elections on Sept. 24, but it failed to secure an absolute majority in parliament.

Her efforts to create a three-way government with the liberal FDP and Greens had failed, after weeks of negotiations following the election.

SPD’s Schulz previously opposed a “grand coalition" with the CDU/CSU, arguing that the election result meant voters had rejected the option of another grand coalition between the SPD and the CDU/CSU.

However, several leading Social Democrat politicians have supported a coalition or are backing a minority CDU/CSU government.

Both the SPD and CDU/CSU weakened in September’s poll, and many in the SPD have blamed their poor showing on the party’s membership in the previous coalition.

Although Merkel’s bloc is still the biggest group in parliament, it needs the support of either the SPD, which has the second-largest group in parliament, or two smaller parties to form a government.