German parties at odds ahead of coalition talks

Angela Merkel hopes to secure a fourth term in office by persuading the centre-left SPD to join the government despite punishing losses in September's election.

By: Reuters | Berlin | Published: January 2, 2018 9:01 am

Angela Merkel leads Germany coalition talks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel hopes to secure a fourth term in office by persuading the centre-left SPD to join the government (Reuters Photo/File)

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD) traded barbs about migration and tax cuts on Tuesday amid mounting questions about whether they can agree to renew the “grand coalition” that ruled Germany for the past four years.

Merkel, under pressure after failing to form a government three months after national elections, hopes to secure a fourth term in office by persuading the centre-left SPD to join the government despite punishing losses in September’s election.