CHANCELLOR Angela Merkel, above, has pushed for the quick formation of a new governing alliance with Germany’s main centre-left party, saying that only a coalition will bring the “stable government” needed at a challenging time for Europe.
Merkel’s conservative Union bloc and the centre-left Social Democrats will begin discussions tomorrow on a possible extension of their coalition of the past four years.
The Social Democrats insisted after a disastrous election result in September that they would go into opposition, but reluctantly agreed to reconsider after Merkel’s coalition talks with two smaller parties collapsed.
Merkel said yesterday: “I favour quick talks, and I think a stable government is the basis on which we can work best with France and for Europe.”
She said a minority government “would not be a stable government”.
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