Germany’s conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) are holding high-level meetings on Friday to discuss how to move forward after party leaders held talks in Berlin last night about possibly renewing their government partnership. German Chancellor and Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Angela Merkeljoined Horst Seehofer, the leader of her Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU), in a meeting with the leader of the center-left SPD Martin Schulz on Thursday night. The talks, held at the invitation of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, lasted for two hours as the party leaders probed whether they are ready — or willing — to start negotiations on forming Germany’s next government.
SPD party heads met at their party headquarters in Berlin on Friday to discuss all possible options going forward, which include a revival of a so-called “grand coalition” with the conservatives and the possibility of new elections.
The youth branch of the SPD, the Jusos, voiced their fierce disapproval of the party entering another coalition with Merkel’s conservatives.
There are other alternatives to a renewed partnership “and they need to be talked about now,” Jusos head Kevin Kühnert told public broadcaster ARD’s “Morgenmagazin.”
Full Article: German coalition talks: SPD not in a rush to partner up with Angela Merkel again | News | DW | 01.12.2017.