German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a joint statement after the exploratory talks between Merkel's conservative bloc and the Social Democrats on forming a new German government in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a joint statement after the exploratory talks between Merkel's conservative bloc and the Social Democrats on forming a new German government in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. Markus Schreiber AP Photo
German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a joint statement after the exploratory talks between Merkel's conservative bloc and the Social Democrats on forming a new German government in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. Markus Schreiber AP Photo

National Business

German center-left party battles over new Merkel coalition

The Associated Press

January 15, 2018 04:55 AM

BERLIN

Supporters and opponents of a new alliance with Chancellor Angela Merkel are making their case to members of Germany's main center-left party who will decide this weekend whether to negotiate a new governing coalition.

Merkel's Union bloc and leaders of the center-left Social Democrats last week reached a preliminary deal to open formal coalition negotiations. That agreement now needs approval from a party congress Sunday of the Social Democrats, many of whose members are deeply skeptical after a disastrous election result in September.

Over the weekend, a small regional branch of the party came out against a new coalition and some prominent party members picked holes in last week's agreement.

The Social Democrats' parliamentary leader, Andrea Nahles, told Deutschlandfunk radio Monday that she's optimistic about winning over a majority of members.