Exploratory coalition talks open in Berlin

Chancellor Angela Merkel struck a pointedly optimistic note before exploratory talks on Sunday for a new grand coalition between her centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Some 15 weeks ago, German voters punished the coalition parties with a combined 14-point collapse in support. Seven weeks after talks with liberals and Greens collapsed, Dr Merkel is hoping exploratory talks will yield a coalition deal and the key to her fourth term in office. The unappetising alternative: fresh elections.

“I am delighted we are starting with official talks; we’re going in with the goal of creating a stable government,” she said over whistles and catcalls of protesters nearby in the background. “I’m going in optimistic but it’s clear we have a huge amount of work ahead of us.”

The negotiators have set aside just five days to talk, starting yesterday with public finances, to see if room exists for a deal. The acting chancellor and CDU leader said she wanted a deal to secure German prosperity in the decade ahead and address people’s security concerns.

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SPD leader Martin Schulz, who wanted a term in opposition to rebuild his struggling party, was eventually convinced to hold “open-ended talks”. On Sunday the centre-left leader said he was not interested in “red lines” but pushing through “red” SPD politics.

Leaders – and working groups – have a long list of dissenting points to get through, while the SPD rejects the CDU/CSU tougher refugee and asylum proposals.

Media blackout

Dr Merkel’s allies are opposed to SPD demands for tax hikes for top earners and a merger of private and public healthcare. With much to discuss, leaders have demanded a news blackout until the end of the five days from all participants, with a ban on interviews, tweets and other leaks from talks.

But foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel, ex-SPD leader, is not participating and on Sunday urged his party colleagues to push Dr Merkel on her cool response to EU reform proposals from French president Emmanuel Macron.

“It is time Germany answered this,” he said, noting his party had a “clear position” on pushing forward with European integration. “We think it is right to invest more in the EU – in research, development and education … The CDU/CSU has been quite reserved to date.”

While the CDU/CSU are determined to secure a deal and cling to power, the SPD is ambivalent on remaining in power. Some senior figures, the party’s youth wing and a sizeable cross-section of members remained convinced their party, after two terms supporting Dr Merkel since 2005, needs to rebuild in opposition.

Unless they are brought round, a final coalition deal could still be rejected by them in an SPD member vote. If exploratory talks end successfully on Friday, formal talks will begin with the aim of an agreement by Easter.

According to a poll on Sunday, one in three voters think talks will fail while a narrow majority – 54 per cent – think a third grand coalition would be good for Germany.