The leader of Germany’s Social Democratic party has denied reports that he has green-lighted talks about another “grand coalition” with Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats.
“The reports are plainly and simply wrong,” the SPD leader, Martin Schulz, said on Friday after claims in the German newspaper Bild that the two parties had agreed to begin exploratory talks on a new coalition following a meeting with the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on Thursday.
The newspaper said the participants – Merkel, her Bavarian ally Horst Seehofer and Schulz – had discussed various options for forming a government, including a grand coalition, setting up a minority government under Merkel, or holding new elections. But they ultimately agreed to start talks about a rerun of the conservative coalition.
Merkel is casting around for a coalition partner after her centre-right bloc shed support to the far right in the 24 September election. Her attempts to form a three-way tie-up with the pro-business Free Democratic party (FDP) and the Greens failed.
Schulz insisted his party would continue to talk about all options, which could include tolerating a Merkel minority government, possibly in tandem with the Green party. He added that he had called the chancellor to complain about “inacceptable” leaks to the press.
Whether the SPD is prepared to go all the way towards a coalition agreement with Merkel remains unclear. Schulz fronts a party which is split evenly down the middle on what he should do next.
“We need big ideas for our country,” said Manuela Schwesig, the state premier of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and a former family minister. “As before, I remain sceptical that you can do that by carrying on ‘business as usual’ in a grand coalition.”
The youth branch of the SPD is organising a petition which rejects a third grand coalition under Merkel and advocates that the centre-left should tolerate a Christian Democrat minority government instead. “We remain clear: the SPD’s rejection of a continued grand coalition was mandatory and right,” says the petition.
