Exploratory talks to form Germany’s next coalition government collapsed shortly before midnight on Sunday when the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) walked out of marathon negotiations.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has been trying to forge a coalition between her Christian Democratic Union (CDU), its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU), the pro-business FDP and the Green party, following federal elections at the end of September.
Announcing the collapse of talks as an “almost historic day”, Merkel on Sunday night insisted that the parties would have been capable of reaching a compromise even in spite of their polarised views on migrations, and described the FDP’s walk-out as “regrettable”.
With talks now seemingly over, Merkel could seek to form a minority government, either with the FDP or the Greens, and gather support from other parties on individual policy votes, the Guardian reported.
Merkel said that she will soon have a conversation with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier regarding the failure of the coalition talks, after which it will be clear what steps should be taken next.
Chairman of the German Free Democratic Party, Christian Lindner, said after the talks that his political force was completing the consultations, since the parties had failed to reach an agreement.
