Merkel's Rival Pushes for Concessions to Unlock Her Fourth Term
- German Social Democrats to vote on first step; members wary
- Approval would break ice without committing to coalition yet
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Germany’s Social Democratic leader asked his party to open the door to coalition talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying it’s worth exploring how far she’ll go to accommodate its demands on European policy and a fair society.
SPD chairman Martin Schulz couched his appeal in caveats that reflect broad reluctance among party members to join Merkel as junior partner for a third time in 12 years. Delegates are voting later Thursday on whether to allow talks with Merkel without explicitly naming a renewed “grand coalition” as a goal, leaving open the option of the SPD backing a Merkel-led minority government.3