Germany’s Social Democrats back coalition with Angela Merkel, ending five-month stalemate
Stalemate to form government is over, but chancellor’s problems are not, as her compromises have ruffled feathers in both parties in the new alliance
Germany’s second biggest party said on Sunday its members have in their high-stakes referendum approved a plan to join Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition, clearing the last hurdle in the way of the veteran leader’s fourth term.
But the chancellor, in power for 12 years, will go into her fourth term with far weaker cards than before, as she had to pay a high price to coax the reluctant Social Democratic Party (SPD) back into another loveless “grand coalition”.
Two in three of the SPD’s rank and file backed a new partnership with Merkel’s conservatives, heralding an end to the political stalemate that has plagued Europe’s biggest economy since September’s inconclusive elections.
Stung by their worst post-war results, the SPD had initially ruled out another four years under Merkel’s shadow.
But after Merkel’s attempt to cobble together a government with two smaller parties failed, the SPD relented.