Merkel: Coalition Government Talks Will Be Difficult

Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany, stated that it is unclear when conservatives will reach a consensus regarding their discussions with the Social Democrats to form a coalition government. According to Reuters, Merkel, speaking before negotiations with the German Social Democrats on Sunday, February 4, expressed her expectation that the remaining negotiations would be challenging. She said, "We have gathered today again for the second round of negotiations. It is still not possible to say how long it will take. We had good grounds yesterday, but there are still significant issues that need to be resolved." Merkel added, "I am starting the negotiations today in good faith, but it is expected that we will face difficult negotiations today." Meanwhile, some politicians say that the meetings may continue until Monday or Tuesday. In this context, the Associated Press reported that Merkel and the conservatives are resuming their discussions with the Social Democrats on Sunday, hoping that this will be the final round of negotiations to form a new German government, although it is believed that negotiations may continue for another two days. Party leaders have warned that most significant issues remain unresolved. The news agency noted that the effort to create a coalition government has been the longest of its kind since World War II, and any agreement must be approved by members of the Social Democratic Party, many of whom are skeptical about renewing this coalition, which has held power since 2013, especially after the disastrous election results for the Social Democrats in September of last year. The Christian Democratic Party of Germany, led by Merkel and its only ally from Bavaria, the Christian Social Union, along with the Social Democrats, set Sunday as a deadline for concluding negotiations, although they have also mentioned the possibility of continuing discussions on Monday and Tuesday. Martin Schulz, the leader of the Social Democrats, told reporters at the start of negotiations, "The three parties have made agreements in recent days and have come closer on many points, but there are still problems, especially regarding social policies, that need to be discussed." He added that this issue and matters related to work and health are priorities for the Social Democrats. "I remain interested in quickly advancing negotiations, but we want to bring a stable government to Germany, and a stable government must have a sustainable and suitable coalition agreement for all," Schulz said. He added, "Ultimately, we must take the time necessary to establish such a solid foundation." Previously, Merkel's attempts in November of last year to form a coalition government with two smaller parties failed. Meanwhile, Schulz, who had previously opposed forming a 'grand coalition' between the two main German parties, changed his mind. However, some factions within the Social Democratic Party oppose the idea of a coalition with conservatives. The Associated Press reported that failure to reach an agreement or a halt in discussions by members of the Social Democratic Party could lead to a minority government led by Merkel or new elections as the only option for forming a government in Germany.