Merkels Attempt to Form a New German Government Collapses [View all]
German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared failure in her bid to form a new government, throwing the future of Europe’s longest-serving leader into doubt and potentially pointing the world’s fourth-biggest economy toward new elections. The euro fell.
A month of exploratory coalition talks ended in a dramatic collapse just before midnight Sunday in Berlin when the pro-market Free Democratic Party, one of the prospective partners, walked out on a deal that Merkel said had been within reach.
After 12 years in office that have made her Europe’s anchor of stability in times of crisis, Merkel said she’s staying on as acting chancellor and will consult with Germany’s president later Monday on what comes next. The collapse signals the limit of her pragmatic, non-ideological style of governing and leaves her options for staying in power for another four years dramatically narrowed.
“It’s a day at the very least for a profound examination of Germany’s future,” Merkel, 63, told reporters after the talks ended. “As chancellor, as caretaker chancellor, I will do everything to make sure this country continues to be well governed through the tough weeks ahead.”
Possibilities now include setting up a minority government headed by her Christian Democratic-led bloc or asking President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to order a national election just months after the last one in September. Both scenarios would be uncharted territory for Germany, which has had only eight chancellors in the seven decades since World War II.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-19/merkel-s-push-collapses-to-reach-four-party-coalition-agreement-ja7dc50v
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