German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the headquarters of the Social Democratic party in Berlin, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 prior to another day in the coalition talks on forming a new German government between Merkel's Christian Democratic bloc and the Social Democratic party.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the headquarters of the Social Democratic party in Berlin, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 prior to another day in the coalition talks on forming a new German government between Merkel's Christian Democratic bloc and the Social Democratic party. dpa via AP Gregor Fischer
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the headquarters of the Social Democratic party in Berlin, Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 prior to another day in the coalition talks on forming a new German government between Merkel's Christian Democratic bloc and the Social Democratic party. dpa via AP Gregor Fischer

Talks on new German government enter final stretch

The Associated Press

February 06, 2018 02:09 AM

BERLIN

Talks on a new German coalition government have entered what participants hope will be their final day.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Union bloc and the center-left Social Democrats originally hoped to finish the job on Sunday, but had budgeted two extra days from the start as a precaution.

If a deal emerges, it still won't be the end of Germany's unprecedentedly long effort to form a new government after an election in September. Any agreement will be put to a ballot of the Social Democrats' membership for approval.

Arriving for the talks Tuesday, Social Democrat leader Martin Schulz said he had "good reason" to believe a deal would emerge "with a good result for our country."

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