Angela Merkel’s Coalition Talks in Germany Go Into Overtime
But bringing together four parties is a complex and difficult task,
and deep differences remain over policies on refugees and migration, finance and climate change, especially between the Greens, the Free Democrats and the conservatives — whose experience in working together has previously been in opposition to one another.
Leaders of the parties, the business-friendly Free Democrats, the ecologist Greens
and the Bavarian-only Christian Social Union, which forms a conservative bloc with Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democrats, appeared refreshed and resolved to extend negotiations into the weekend.
17, 2017
BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel and representatives of three German parties returned to the negotiating table in Berlin on Friday afternoon, in a last-ditch
effort to define the terms of a future government coalition, after 15 tense hours of debate on issues like migration ended in deadlock overnight.
Ms. Merkel herself is under pressure from the right wing of her conservative bloc, especially from the Christian Social Union, which is urging
her not to backtrack on a commitment she made last month to limit to 200,000 the number of people allowed to apply for asylum in Germany.
"I am heading into these negotiations with the intention, despite all the difficulties, of carrying out the task voters gave us of
forming a coalition," Ms. Merkel told reporters outside her party headquarters, where the next round of talks are being held.
If lawmakers voted to confirm her nomination, she would have to choose between leading a minority government — novel in
Germany’s post-World War II history — or dissolving Parliament, which would lead to new elections within two months.
