It has never taken so long for new cabinet to come into office after a Bundestag election. The previous record of 2013, when 86 days passed until new government was sworn in, was discontinued on Tuesday. The complicated search for a new federal government will enter decisive phase with launch of probing of Union and SPD after January 6th. A new federal government is no longer expected before March.

SPD chairman Martin Schulz shared with Twitter that party congress planned for 14th of January was postponed by one week. As a reason he called CSU's wish not to start exploratory talks before a retreat of CSU Bundestag deputies from 4 to 6 January in Bavarian monastery of Seeon. "That's why we need a little more time," said Schulz. At party congress, SPD wants to decide wher it will enter into coalition talks with CDU and CSU. With core projects agreed upon in probes, Schulz must step in front of delegates and promote approval for formal coalition negotiations, which is by no means safe.

The Social Democrats are still debating a possible reissue of Grand Coalition, Thuringian Federation had already ruled out alliance. An alternative is especially for representatives of leftist SPD-wing Einesogenannte Cooperation coalition, which only agrees in some core areas and orwise works with changing majorities in Bundestag. However, CDU chairwoman and Chancellor Merkel reject this.

Left-wing Bundestag group leader Dietmar Bartsch spoke of a "completely unacceptable situation", that three months after election, a government formation is not within sight, for which Merkel is responsible. He warned, "politicians disenchantment longer it takes to increase."

SPD politicians criticize Gabriel's desire for course correction

Bartsch called on Union and SPD to "end current Punch atre, staged as a state spectacle, and to clarify when, in what constellation and on what content basis y want to form a government".

Merkel, Schulz, CSU chief Horst Seehofer and leaders of political groups meet in Berlin this Wednesday to prepare and make arrangements for first substantive points.

In SPD, meanwhile, displeasure over former party leader and current vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel is growing because of his criticism of party's course. "I have really rubbed my eyes on some statements," said SPD vice-chairman Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel to newspapers of editorial network Germany. "Then I wondered who in recent years has borne responsibility as party Chairman and Minister of Economics." SPD Bundestag group leader Andrea Nahles reacted with irony in Saarbrücken Zeitung: "It is good, though Sigmar Gabriel, who has significantly influenced SPD's policy over last eight years, thinks about renewal of SPD." Members of Bundestag, Ulrike Nissen, tweeted, Sigmar Gabriel "is getting more and more on my shoelaces".

Gabriel had in a guest post in mirror a too strong distance from SPD to her classical electoral strata and demanded a fundamental course correction as well as honest debates on terms "homeland" and "guiding culture". He has long warned to take concerns of refugee interest more seriously. He always concocts party internally. From 2009 to March 2017, Gabriel was chairman of SPD.

The party had retracted its worst result in a Bundestag election in September with 20.5 percent. In fact, after electoral defeat in opposition, she wanted to start a renewal process.

Date Of Update: 20 December 2017, 12:02