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[webfact]

Merkel presses cautious SPD over joining new German coalition

By Thomas Escritt

 

Acting Chancellor Angela Merkel, Volker Bouffier and deputy leader of Christian Democratic Union Julia Kloeckner attend a party meeting at the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) headquarters in Berlin, Germany, November 27, 2017. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel piled pressure on Monday on the Social Democrats (SPD) to rejoin a "grand coalition" with her conservatives, arguing that the European Union and the wider world urgently needed a stable German government in place.

 

More than two months after its Sept. 24 national election, Europe's economic and political powerhouse is still without a government and officials say coalition talks may now properly begin only in the new year.

 

"There are European elections in 2019... so there is a big expectation that we take positions," she told reporters, referring to proposals by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and by French President Emmanuel Macron on the future governance of the EU's currency and economic union.

 

Merkel also cited conflicts in the Middle East, tensions with Russia and relations with the United States as factors that required a Germany "capable of acting".

 

David McAllister, an executive committee member of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), echoed her views in comments to Reuters, adding that Germany needed to iron out its stance on key EU issues ahead of European Parliament elections in 2019.

 

"Diligence definitely comes before speed (in forming a coalition) but the government should be formed in time for Germany to be capable of acting if decisions need to be made (in Europe) in 2018," McAllister said.

 

The conservatives should signal willingness to compromise and avoid drawing red lines as they prepare for talks with the SPD, he said. Preliminary talks are due to begin on Thursday.

 

While the conservatives and SPD have different opinions on Europe, they managed to work together in a 2013-2017 governing coalition and all major parties in Germany agree on fundamental issues relating to the EU, McAllister added.

 

Merkel's initial efforts to forge a three-way coalition with the liberals and the Greens collapsed on Nov. 19, forcing her to approach the SPD, which had wanted to go into opposition after suffering its worst election result in German postwar history.

 

SPD RELUCTANCE

 

SPD leader Martin Schulz, who has previously been strongly opposed to another "grand coalition", said on Monday he ruled nothing out ahead of the preliminary talks.

 

Stung by their previous experience of serving as junior partner in Merkel-led governments - in 2005-09 and again in 2013-17 - the SPD rank-and-file membership shares Schulz's reticence about joining a new coalition.

 

Many SPD members favour a looser arrangement whereby the SPD agrees to tolerate a Merkel-led minority government, supporting or at least agreeing not to vote against certain measures.

 

A poll for RTL and NTV television showed 48 percent of SPD members were in favour of toleration, an inherently less stable form of government, and only 36 percent in favour of a renewed grand coalition.

 

Merkel herself has said she would prefer a fresh election to presiding over a minority government.

 

Schulz has promised to allow SPD members a vote on any deal his party reaches with Merkel.

 

(Reporting By Gernot Heller, additional reporting by Andreas Rinke and Michelle Martin; editing by Gareth Jones)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-28

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Many SPD members favour a looser arrangement whereby the SPD agrees to tolerate a Merkel-led minority government, supporting or at least agreeing not to vote against certain measures.

So a bit less sycophantic and not as reach-aroundy as the DUP's "confidence and supply" malarkey with #10?

 

Pressuring the SD's is a pretty desperate effort to delay the sunset on Frau Merkel's reign.

[zydeco]

Vote for CDU/CSU = vote for Merkel. Vote for Green = vote for Merkel. Vote for SPD = vote for Merkel. Vote for FDP = vote for Merkel. That's some democracy, Germany.

[NoBrainer]

There should be a new Election with only Citizens voting.

[ilostmypassword]

17 minutes ago, NoBrainer said:

There should be a new Election with only Citizens voting.

Non citizens can't vote in German national elections.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, zydeco said:

Vote for CDU/CSU = vote for Merkel. Vote for Green = vote for Merkel. Vote for SPD = vote for Merkel. Vote for FDP = vote for Merkel. That's some democracy, Germany.

 

You vote to a potential coalition partner, thus improving it's leverage of getting it's way within the coalition. That none of them wants to play with certain posters' favorite party is to be commended.

[NoBrainer]

3 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Non citizens can't vote in German national elections.

 

That's a good policy. I was under the impression that everyone could vote (as in the USA) wether legal, undocumented aliens, or otherwise.

 

So without all of the immigrant votes, how did Merkel manage to garner enough support to retain her position? Is the opposition that much worse?

[ilostmypassword]

3 hours ago, NoBrainer said:

 

That's a good policy. I was under the impression that everyone could vote (as in the USA) wether legal, undocumented aliens, or otherwise.

 

So without all of the immigrant votes, how did Merkel manage to garner enough support to retain her position? Is the opposition that much worse?

I got more good news for you. Undocumented aliens, and even documented aliens, can't vote in US elections either except possibly in a few stricly local ones.