Social Democrats give Merkel Coalition conditions

Germany’s beleaguered chancellor has returned to the negotiating table on Sunday with politicians from the Social Democratic party (SPD) and representatives of her Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), to stave off the end of “Merkelism” by re-establishing the coalition that governed Germany from 2013 to 2017.

“I think that it can be done. We will work very swiftly and very intensively,” Merkel told journalists as she arrived at the Social Democrats’ headquarters on Sunday.

“I am going into these talks with optimism. At the same time it is clear to me that we will have an enormous piece of work in front of us over the next few days but we are willing to take it on and to bring a good result.”

Following the collapse of talks to form an unorthodox “Jamaica” coalition with the Free Democrats and the Green party in November, a centrist alliance would guarantee the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) her best chance of a stable government for a fourth term in office.

But historically poor results for both parties at last September’s elections mean that a new “grand coalition” could barely lay claim to such a name, and sliding polls are increasing pressure on the two political tribes to retreat behind orthodox party lines.