The leader of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) was seeking on Thursday to convince his reluctant party that it has a duty to discuss forming a government under Conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel, for the sake of German and European stability.
Germany has been struggling to build a new government since a September 24 national election in which Ms. Merkel’s conservative bloc and the SPD both lost support.
SPD leader Martin Schulz, who initially said the party would go into Opposition after seeing its time in the last Merkel-led “grand coalition” rewarded with bruising losses at the polls, must now convince his party to reverse that decision.
He will ask party members for their support to start talks with Ms. Merkel’s conservatives next week, although negotiations are expected to last well into the New Year.
“We don't know if this coalition will happen. One thing is certain — we can’t just carry on as before,” SPD parliamentary leader Andrea Nahles, told the Bild newspaper. “There are good reasons against and some in favour.”
