Prospective partners in German new govt. resume push for coalition deal

Two main German parties are in a final push to patch together a coalition that could allow Chancellor Angela Merkel to secure her fourth consecutive term in office.

Reports in the local media said Monday that the conservatives led by Merkel and the Social Democrats (SPD) were hoping to reach a final deal by Tuesday.

They said Merkel, leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and Horst Seehofer, leader of the CDU’s sister party in Bavaria, are likely to present a final coalition agreement on Tuesday.

Volker Bouffier, a deputy leader of the CDU, said the two sides would end discussions on Monday, but they might need until Tuesday to nail down a final deal.

“I assume that we can get this finally done today ... I'm not certain, but confident. We may need until early tomorrow,” Bouffier said.

The conservatives and the SPD are eager to reach a deal mainly because it could contain the far-right and its rise in the German politics.

The prospective partners in the new government have ruled Germany in a so-called grand coalition since 2013 and their ongoing negotiations come after the inconclusive general elections in September.

The SPD, which was initially against a new coalition with Merkel, reversed course in November after the German leader failed to form a coalition with two lesser-known parties.

Reports said talks on Monday mainly focused on Germany’s European Union policy and how Europe’s biggest economy would contribute to the finances of the eurozone. The two sides of the talks have already settled their differences on key issues like immigration and social policy while negotiations continue on labor laws and health.

To begin her fourth term, Merkel should wait until a final deal with the SPD is approved by party members, a process which could take several weeks.

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