Acting German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for exploratory talks about forming a new coalition government at the SPD headquarters in Berlin, Germany, January 11, 2018. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke
January 12, 2018
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD) agreed on Friday on a blueprint for formal coalition negotiations, party sources said, bolstering prospects for an end to months of political uncertainty.
The agreement between party and parliamentary leaders paves the way for detailed negotiations in coming weeks, lifting the uncertainty that has weakened Germany’s role in international affairs and raised questions about how long Merkel will stay in her job.
(Reporting by Holger Hansen; Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Noah Barkin)
