(MENAFN- Gulf Times) German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to meet top party officials in her conservative political bloc on Saturday, the day after the first round of coalition talks with the Greens and the Free Democrats (FPD) ended with mixed signals.
Horst Seehofer, the leader of Merkel's allied Christian Social Union (CSU) expressed some optimism and said that Friday's talks went as expected.
‘Nothing has been decided yet. But useful information was exchanged. And now we're heading into training camp with the chancellor to prepare ourselves further,' he told reporters Saturday.
It's important that the conservatives be in agreement on topics, especially relating to finances, said Seehofer. ‘They must be highly focused in such things. Constantly training, constantly brushing up.'
The untested three-way alliance with the Greens and FDP - the so-called Jamaica coalition - is currently the only option available for Merkel. Her Christian Democrats (CDU) and the CSU lost voter support in the September election and her current coalition partner, the Social Democrats, decided against joining the new government.
A slew of issues divide Merkel's conservatives from the FDP and the Greens, including coal as a source of energy, the future of the eurozone, taxation and the number of refugees allowed to enter the country.
Further consultations with the potential coalition partners are set for Tuesday, according to party sources.
MENAFN2110201700670000ID1095970763
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.