German Chancellor Angela Merkel holds a news conference after a Eastern Partnership summit at the European Council Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, November 24, 2017. REUTERS/Eric Vidal
November 25, 2017
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday she aimed to get a government in place as quickly as possible after she was left scrambling to find a way to govern when three-way coalition talks collapsed last Sunday.
“Europe needs a strong Germany, it is desirable to get a government in place quickly,” Merkel told a party meeting, adding, however, that her acting government was able to carry on day to day business in Europe’s biggest economy.
She added she was prepared to talk to the Social Democrats (SPD) after the center-left party reversed an earlier decision and said it was prepared to talk to Merkel’s conservatives, but she stressed any talks should be based on mutual respect.
(Reporting by Madeline Chambers; editing by Alexander Smith)
